Sango's Choice
by Michiko Mokuyaba
Summary: They'd finally killed him. Naraku was dead, within their reach they had the ability to end the line of the Jewel, and they were heroes. Why, then, was everyone angry? Rated M for graphic violence.
1. Chapter 1

The gang was walking. Sango watched their slow strides with increasing interest as they made their way back. It had gotten slower, and slower, each person lost, dreamily in their own thoughts, not breaking out of their own misery long enough to notice that they were going so slowly.

They had nowhere to go, really, so they were headed vaguely towards Kaede's village, and they all seemed to be rather unhappy with one another. Sango wondered briefly how this had happened. InuYasha had the body slung over his shoulder, and he was radiating gloom, even more so than the others.

Sango walked a little closer to Kagome, but she was ignored completely by Kagome's angry face. She sighed, not daring to start a conversation. Was there some travesty she'd missed?

She walked over to the Monk. Upon examining him she saw that he was in no way his normal, lighthearted self. He was composed, but only barely, with some negetive emotion lingering underneath. Amazed, she found him so out of it that he didn't even notice when she brushed up against him. She'd tried that as a tactic to cheer him up, but she was ignored. Sango was, at this point, shell-shocked. All her friends were quietly depressing one another.

After a while longer of walking, she got her nerve up, her worry slowly changing into anger. What happened that was so bad as to ruin the dynamics between the motley crew? They'd done what they wanted to do, why were they worse off then when they started? Sango was no less infuriated with them than when she finaly spoke, tearing in front of them to halt her companions.

"Isn't this what everyone wanted?" She asked, trying to keep her annoyance out of her tone. "Naraku's dead, and we know where the last of the jewel is, what else?" Everyone else stopped, however no one by Kirara lifted their head to look at her. Kirara mewed. "What's wrong with everyone?" she asked, pleadingly, her rage tempering her words with venom. She simply didn't understand! This didn't make any sense. She tried again, hoping to have everyone as happy as the ought. "We should be celebrating, not pitying ourselves!" she said, not even bothering to keep her voice fury-free. "We saved the day, what else do you people want? We're heros! We broke god only knows how man curses, and we're about to go end the line of the jewel! Why don't you see that!" By this time, Sango was so desperately confused, and she was livid with the lack of reaction to her animated plea. InuYasha turned around, and he was the first to speak to her.

"You know why _I'm _unhappy," he said simply. He didn't have any inflection in his tone at all. His face was a placid mask, making it look like he couldn't feel at all. Sango sighed. Well, it was true, she did know _his_ reason, at the very least; InuYasha had to kill Kikyo in the final battle. She knew how hard that must've been for him. The thought of him having to swallow all those emotion and turn his heart to stone to kill her made her think of her own battle… Her battle wasn't with someone she was _in_ love with, though. It was with Kohaku. It wasn't the same, but it was close. She had cried at her own battle, but she was happy with the fact thatshe'd finally freed him. InuYasha, however, didn't have the same consolation; Kikyo was now all the way in Kagome, and that was as free as the woman would have ever gotten.

However, that still didn't explain why everyone else was unhapp—SLAP!

Sango's head snapped up from where she'd found it drooping. InuYasha was on the ground, and Kagome's face was hidden by her bangs. It seemed pretty clear what happened there… Kagome stormed off angrily, muttering profanities, Sango was sure. Sango bent down to help InuYasha up.

Sango winced at her recollection. Of course Kagome was angry that InuYasha was mourning Kikyo's loss. So, it didn't explain why the Monk was so out of it. Kagome was always angry with InuYasha for being so jealous, and yet Kagome had an even less forgiving heart in that area. She would get so mad at him for growling at a waiter who'd looked at her funny. He'd been off his feet, as in, _unable_ to stand, for a week after that. InuYasha made no attempt to hide his jealous nature, though. Sango's brow wrinkled. However, recently he hadn't been so jealous. Or maybe he'd only been feighning indifference, but either way, he was better at keeping it in check. Was that was Kagome was upset about? Did Kagome take it as a complement, but train InuYasha out of it? No, certainly it was the Kikyo thing… If her dear friend was that stupid then there was no hope for her, and Sango never did think of Kagome as stupid.

"Are you all right?" Sango asked InuYasha, coming back from her own thoughts. InuYasha made it a point not to take her hand, and help himself, and Kikyo's body up. She hadn't expected anything different. His pride, even in an emotionally stunted state as he was, was a commodity he held dear.

"Yeah…" he said vaguely. "Why don't you two just go and sleep in Kaede's hut, I'll be… Around." Sango nodded. She'd been around InuYasha enough to know that he was asking to be by himself. She took a brief look at Miroku - who appeared to be counting sticks on the ground - before she began to walk away. Miroku wasn't an idiot; he knew what InuYasha was asking for too. Sango sighed again. He probably had some wise words to cheer him up. She wanted to hear them too. She loved to hear Miroku being so wise. She distanced herself a good deal, but not so far that she couldn't hear Miroku and InuYasha start talking.

"How could you…" she heard one voice. That had to be the Monk. That was an awfully cold tone for him to use, though. She didn't really understand how those were wise words, but she trusted she'd find out. After all, Miroku hadn't let her down thus far, and the wisdom wish he had access to always amazed her, and always made her feel more and more attached to him.

"Oh, don't pull that shit on me, Miroku," InuYasha snapped. "I can't control the way I feel, so _sorry!_" Well, that was InuYasha, - she was pretty sure - but it was an odd thing for him to say.

'_I'm sorry!'? _Thought Sango filled with disbelief.

"You're nothing of the sort!" said Miroku quickly. She was pretty sure it was him, but he had malice in his tone, which was so foreign that Sango was no longer sure these were _her_ InuYasha and Miroku. Maybe she'd stumbled into a different dimension by accident… She'd heard of that happening before.

"Look, I haven't made a move. You can have--!" There was a sound of flesh meeting flesh, a sharp 'thump' against the ground, followed by the sound of potery smashing. Sango dashed back to see what had happened.

What she saw was odd, but her brain was already working out what had transpired.

Miroku was standing over InuYasha, who was on his side with a split lip, and shards of Kikyo's clay body thrown askew.

_Why is everyone mad at him today?_ Sango yelled in her mind, before screeching to Miroku, "Hey! What's wrong with you?" She went back over to help InuYasha up again, who this time took her hand, a grateful expression crossed his features for a moment, then was gone as soon as it had come. This seemed to make Miroku even angrier. "Filthy mutt!" he yelled before turning on his heel and marching off, making sure to break Kikyo's body with his feet on his way. Sango could've sworn she saw steam rising off of him.

InuYasha waived her off.

"Go follow him, calm him down!" He snapped. There was a slight catch in his voice as he looked at the broken form of the woman he had loved. On his face, however, he held nothing but anger. Where had that grateful expression gone? Now he was glaring! Sango was confused. Why the hell was InuYasha concerned? This… This was all wrong. "_Go_!"

The tone was so stern, so commanding and so firm that Sango's limbs snapped into action before her brain registered the order. She went.

She followed Miroku through the village. In a crowd, just before she'd caught up to him, she'd lost sight of him.

_It's okay,_ she thought. After all, she knew where he was going. She went to find him… Wait, he wasn't in the bar… She went through a short checklist of other places he might be, and Sango checked around town in those places, the events that had just passed swimming through her mind. What was wrong with everyone? There had to be more to this than was it appeared… Sango would have – given someone else were happy with her – celebrated. She was so happy that they'd finally killed Naraku that she was willing to get hammered. So drunk, in fact, that she wouldn't even care what passed the night before. Maybe she'd be able to finally tell Miroku how she felt…?

_No,_ she thought, she wouldn'tbe telling anyone anything of the sort until she figured out what the heck was going on. Why was everyone mad at InuYasha? Why was InuYasha the only one being anywhere close civil? Usually it was the other way around…

Sango walked into Kaede's guest hut, which she'd had made for them. Miroku was there, meditating. She sighed in relief at finding him.

"Hoshi Sama?" She said, standing in the doorway. Miroku opened his eyes and glared up at her. That made her flinch, her relief quickly retreating. His stern, angry gaze was more painful to her than she was willing to admit. "Hoshi Sama," she continued, unwilling to let her weakness show. "What's bothering you?" She asked.

"That fool, InuYasha," said Miroku in a fiercely dark tone. Sango winced, hoping sincerely that she didn't cause this. "He's such a…A… A fool!" Sango had learned before, that Miroku rarely used words worse than 'poot', and she thought it was endearing, in a way. This meant, clearly to her, that he was _really_ mad. She sat down next to him, keeping herself away from his hand. She was surprised to find that it never came, but simply blamed it on his mood.

"Hoshi Sama, what did he do wrong?" She asked, hearing the worried edge in her own voice.

"He has stolen the only thing I hold dear," said Mikoru. By the way he held himself at that moment, Sango could tell he didn't want her to press the subject. Sango got up, standing over him closer than she would have normally.

"Is there anything I can do to make you feel bett--?"

"No." Said Miroku, quickly cutting her off, as if to say 'get out, now'. Sango was shocked. He didn't even ask her to do anything sexual, like she was expecting. She quickly got out of there.

_He didn't notice me making a move on him?_ Sango was terrified at this moment. Of all the people in the world to notice innuendo, Miroku was the highest on her list. She decided it would be good to figure out what went wrong with InuYasha, but he wanted to be alone too. That was a no-go…

Kagome, she found, went back to her own time. Sango was at a loss. The only person she could locate at that point was Miroku, and seeing him in a bad mood was too much for her at that moment. It hurt her to watch him glare at her. When he did she felt like her insides were bleeding out of her heart.

She went to Kaede's hut, _not_ the guest hut, and sat down in front of Kaede. The old priestess was a kind woman, and a wise one. Her wisdom was of a very different style than Miroku's, and perhaps that was just what she needed right now.

"Miko Sama, do you know what happened with the others?" She asked. Shippo came out of… somewhere, and sat on her knee.

"What d'you mean?" he asked, looking up at her while munching some unknown sweet. Sango sighed. She realized that she'd been doing that a good deal over the past couple hours. She decided to give Shippo the short of it, rather than explaining _everything_.

"Kagome and Miroku are angry with InuYasha. So angry, in fact, that Kagome slapped him and left--"

"—That doesn't take that much--" Shippo added.

"—Yeah, but the amazing part is that Miroku punched him, and shattered Kikyo's body! Where were you while all this happened, anyway?"

Shippo blinked, his expression calm, and his composure unaffected. He shrugged. Clearly he didn't believe her, nor did he choose to answer her. She probably didn't want to know, anyway. Kaede, on the other hand, seemed to think it over, passing it through the analytic centers of her brain that would churn out the wisdom that Sango so desperately wanted to hear from _someone_.

"I don't know, Sango." she said, then retuned to her herbs again. Sango nodded. Couldn't say she wasn't expecting that, after all.

…

The next morning Sango opend her eyes. She looked around the hut to try and find Miroku, but didn't have to look long before realizing he wasn't there. It was somewhat of a relief not to see him right then, she had to admit. It was agony to watch him glower at her so angrily. Her thoughts, more and more, revolved around how to cheer him up. That was all she really wanted to do at that moment; calm him down, find out what was wrong, resolve it, and… Then deal with her feelings for him. She pushed aside the bamboo flap that acted as a door, and went out into the streets. Miroku, when she'd first met him, had revolted her, and she'd never thought that her attachment would grow so well. The thought of him merits out weighing his lecherous nature had never occurred to her. She looked around briefly for Miroku, but didn't see him. She wanted to see him smile in that goofy way he always did just before she smacked him. She wanted to see him embarres InuYasha in the way he always managed to do with very little apparent effort. She wanted to find him, as well, but only half-heartedly. Her search, however, didn't turn up any Miroku. Instead she found InuYasha. He was lazing at the edge of town, up in a tree. Some company was better than none in Sango's book, and she really was earnestly interested in how to cheer Miroku up, and get him out of his bad humor. She smiled weakly at InuYasha, and came over. As she neared she saw him look up, his ears twitching around furiously to locate the noise. They settled on her after a moment, then one flicked back to listen to other things. She hadn't really expected good company out of this. InuYasha would probably just look at her, and that was if she was _lucky_! However, maybe InuYasha was a little lonely too, without Kagome. The reason Sango thought this was because he'd actually jumped down and come up face to face with her.

He didn't even attempt to smile. "'Morning, Sango," he said quietly, almost as if he was forcing himself to talk to her. Now that he was closer to her she could see clay dust in his hair, and a few scratched on his hands that were unmistakably from the shards of Kikyo.

"Good morning, InuYasha," she said, carefully putting more cheer in her voice than InuYasha had. She wanted to get him in a better mood before she interrogated him. "Nice weather…" she said, lamely. She'd never really tried to get InuYasha in a better mood, and didn't know how to go about doing it. InuYasha looked at her, blankly. After a moment his hollow expression cleared slightly to have one eyebrow go up. Sango smiled. It was a relief to see such a trademarked InuYasha expression back into place. It was a questioning, slightly annoyed expression, mostly, even though right now it wasn't portraying annoyance very well. Sango laughed a little, mostly from felif, and InuYasha's face split into a small grin, just like that. Sango was truly happy to see that. InuYasha turned his head to face the sunlight, revealing the right side of his face. Sango gasped.

"InuYasha!" she said, staring at the faded purple bruise on his jaw. His head snapped back to where it had been, his slightly happy expression gone in a flash. Sango felt her face crease with worry.

"How the hell did he manage to bruise you?" she mumbled as she touched it gently. He drew back quickly with a wince. From here she could also see that the split lip, which she'd seen before, wasn't gone. These were both from Miroku's punch, seeing as how Kagome had hit him on the left. Sango withdrew her hand, concern emanating from her. "Do you have any idea why he hit you?" she asked. Well, she was getting the interrogation that she wanted, but she didn't quite realize how bad this was. Had she known she would have reprimanded Miroku much more than she did. How had InuYasha earned this?

InuYasha looked away sadly, shading his entire face now, rather than just half. Sango had never seen that expression on him before, so it took her a moment to register in her mind, but she diplomatically didn't let her confusion show in her face.

"I don't know…" he said. There was a pause. Sango kept thinking he was going to say more than that, but more never came. He didn't meet her gaze, which she held locked on him. He seemed to be thinking deeply about what to say next, or maybe just trying to forget she was there. Sango couldn't help but pity him; she'd never seen him this sad. Even when Kagome had left because she was jealous of Kikyo, InuYasha hadn't been so… _heartbreaking_. She shook that thought aside as best she could, but there was a constant reminder right in front of her, so it wasn't an easy task. She sighed, then decided to continue her questioning.

"Well, the Monk said you took something from him…" She prompted uncertainly. InuYasha laughed weakly, clearly trying for his usual, hard-hearted, vaguely evil laugh, but failing miserably, seeing as how it came out with a nervous edge, as well as a guilty one.

"He's lying," he said bluntly, a slight growl creeping into his tone, though it sounded very forced. "I didn't take anything, something he has took something of _mine_," he snapped.

"Some_thing_ took something of…?" she began. Sango didn't know what this meant, but she had a feeling she wasn't going to get and answer clearer than that. "What about Kagome-Chan?" she tried. "What happened with her?" InuYasha winced, then made it a point to look around for a while before answering. Sango simply stood there patiently. Birds passed overhead, and InuYasha – who was certainly not one for bird watching – kept his eyes on them until they were out of sight, formulating his answer.

"I told her the truth about how I feel," he said with a shrug, eventually. Sango was confused.

"You don't love her?" she inquired. InuYasha nodded slightly. From what she could see, he was completely indifferent, but he still had that hollow expression that left Sango on edge.

"I think I used to…" he said, putting his hands in his pockets with another shrug. This time, however, he looked a little more like he was shrinking away from her. "But, I don't anymore..." he said, trailing off miserably. There was a long silence – a shocked one, on Sango's part - and then InuYasha spoke again. "Now that… That Naraku's dead, you're going to go home and try to rebuild the Demon Slayer village, aren't you?" Sango nodded. She started to smile, but found that she couldn't. Not with the news he'd just given her. Not with Kagome's happiness in such jeopardy as this. She found that she could either speak, or cry, so she endeavored to make sure it was the former alone.

"I may not be back for a very long time…" She said, biting her lip to keep it from trembling. InuYasha looked around again, but this time he seemed to be checking to see if there was anyone watching him, rather than stalling.

"Can I come?" he asked casually. Sango stepped back in surprise, suddenly all her urge to shed tears was pushed to the back parts of her mind. She blinked, and moved her mouth stupidly.

"Why?" Was all she could manage to squeak out. InuYasha just shrugged again, then answered as if she had asked reasonably, rather than like some kind of cartoon mouse.

"Well," he said. "I seem to have royally screwed up here, and you're the only person around who doesn't slap or punch me," he said. Sango didn't really know how to react to that. After a moment she decided there couldn't be any point for him to stay here and be 'sat' several times in a row once Kagome got back. And besides, he could lift heavy things, and be useful for rebuilding.

"Well, yeah, I suppose," she said after a while of thought. "I was going to leave today, but I cou--"

"I'll come today," he said firmly, finally facing her again, his golden eyes gleaming brightly in the half shadowed light cast onto his face.

**End Chapter One**

Whee! It's done! And I love it a whole lot more than the first time I wrote it! YAYS! Heehee, plus, I more than tripled the word-count. Tell me what you think!

Miko-chan.


	2. Chapter 2

Sango looked at her pack critically, biting her finger. She couldn't think of anything else she needed to bring, and she knew she had to leave soon anyway. Had she been traveling alone, the schedule would have meant nothing, but she had a companion whom she'd told 'tonight', so she was leaving _tonight_. She heaved her pack onto her back, already regretting it, and knowing her muscles were going to complain after a long journey such as this was going to be, but she knew that if they were going to be sore, they weren't strong enough yet, so she'd bear up.

She sighed, going out into the streets and went to Kaede's guest hut. She wanted to say goodbye to Miroku, and bid him his farewell. She also wanted to understand more of why he was angry, but she had a strong suspicion that she wasn't going to get an answer to that. She took one look in the single room hut only to find it devoid of people. She sighed. Nothing was going well the past couple of days, was it? She wandered to Kaede's hut next door, her heart heavy.

"Miko Sama?" She asked, startling Kaede out of her work, which had engrossed her so.

"Yes? What do you need, Taijia Sama?" asked Kaede. Sango swallowed, pretty sure of what her answer was going to be.

"Do you know where the Monk went?" she asked. "I can't find him, and I wanted to tell him goodbye before I started." Kaede looked thoughtful for a moment, as if struggling with her moral code. Perhaps she didn't know the answer. She'd been expecting a simple 'I don't know', but this looked a little less innocent than that.

"He asked me not to tell you where he was," said Kaede, visibly gritting her teeth. "But I _will_ tell him you said goodbye." Sango's head drooped, and she suddenly felt as if her heart couldn't have been heavier if it was made of led. She felt unbearably cheerless, and she could feel as her stride matched the stride of her companions the day before as she turned to leave Kaede's home. She felt an overwhelming uselessness suddenly come on.

Miroku didn't want to see me? Why…? She nodded to Kaede, and left. She didn't want to go without seeing Miroku one more time, without seeing his goofy little smile that always made her feel cheerful, even though she didn't admit that to anyone. She didn't want to be robbed of the sight of him this time. She sighed, and toyed with the idea of delaying, and leaving the next day, or the day after, but the chanced of Miroku wanting to see her then weren't very high either. Her eyes stung gently as they warned her that tears were ready. She battled them down, not wanting to cry. Her depressed walk carried her to the edge of town to find InuYasha, with all his belongings on his back - other than the ones that he claimed Kagome demanded back. Sango forced a smile when she saw him, covering up her earlier distress.

"Hey there. You ready?" She asked, forcing all the cheer she could muster, which wasn't a lot. InuYasha shook his head sadly, then took a step back as if trying to get away from her a little.

"I talked with Miroku just a little while ago," he said. Sango didn't let her wince show through when he said the Monk's name. "He doesn't want me to come with you, so I'm gonna stay," he said stoically. Sango glared, suddenly no longer depressed, but outraged. First Miroku would deprive her of _his_ company, then also of InuYasha's? And as if that wasn't enough, Kagome was gone! No, this was _not_ acceptable!

"What?" she said loudly, her words tempered with anger. "If he's not going to give me an explanation as to why, then he certainly can't restrict anything!" she shouted, breathing heavily to stop herself from hitting someone. The sorrow from earlier had ignited, burning brightly, and becoming a ripe fuel for her fury. InuYasha looked as if he was about to growl, and loose his temper, then he stopped, and drooped a little suddenly looking down.

"I know why he doesn't want me to come," he said in a whisper that was barely audible. If Sango had been in any other mood she would have put more thought into the timid edge in his voice, and had the tact to have been unnerved, and she would have questioned about it more, but she was _angry_, and she didn't _care_ right then. InuYasha wasn't allowed to be depressed right then, not when Sango had all the reason to, and he had so little, as Sango could tell. She found herself hoping he would be back in a foul temper.

"Well, why not?" She asked hotly, stepping in front of him.

"B-because he still thinks I took what he has," said InuYasha hesitantly, looking quite puzzled, and taking a step back. He seemed to be worried about her current temper, and he chose his next words very carefully. "He's being foolish about it, but he's…" InuYasha gritted his teeth around the word, his jaw muscles working vigorously to stop the use of so foreign a word, but he prevailed in the end. "He's my _friend_… So I'm going to respect that wish, and not come," he said. Sango glare at him sternly. This wasn't going to do at all. Her words burned on the tip of her tongue, and they came out very quickly, having the effect of glairing _real_ daggers.

"Do you want to come?" InuYasha looked a little gloomy, and seemed to consider his next response.

"Well, yeah, bu--"

"Then come on," she said, grabbing his hand and starting off, Kirara jumping out of a tree and onto her shoulder. Miroku got what he deserved, as far as she was concerned. She didn't care what he thought. She didn't give a damn.

She shook her head. No, no, she _did_ give a damn. She cared a _lot_. Right now, she wanted to disobey all orders he gave, because at least then he'd have a _reason_ to not want to see her, and at least then she wouldn't feel so much pain at the mention of his name. She wanted to see him, and as far a she knew, she hadn't done anything _yet_ to make him not want the same. But if he already didn't want it, then she'd give him a _reason_ not to want it. She wanted him to grieve for the loss of her affections, and she wanted him to apologize to _her_ for being a foolish idiot.

…

That night Sango set up camp, calmed a great deal by the walk. Upon thought, she realized how foolish, and childish an action like that was, and was too ashamed to admit it and go back. It was stupid to think that doing everything Miroku didn't want her to do was going to make it better. She didn't even know how that logic went, and it had made so much sense at the time, she didn't understand how she couldn't have seen the flaws. No, what she really didn't understand was how she saw _any _merit to that plan… She had been beating herself up for being so angry and for inflicting her wrath on him when it really had very little to do with her, if anything at all. She sighed, trying to calm herself down even more.

InuYasha had almost snapped back to his old self, which was endlessly reassuring, and was actually assisting in her attempts at relaxation, as she'd wanted to do. He was up in a tree, complaining about how easy the demon they fought was. Sango had actually let out a chuckle when she assured him that it had been a real crow, not a demon. She explained the reason it smelled like a crow demon, which was because it had been in crow-demon blood. He had only paused briefly after this explanation, then seemed to think that it couldn't have been the case, and he continued his critique.

A thought occurred to Sango, and she pondered over it some time before allowing herself to verbalize it.

"InuYasha?" She asked quietly. He looked down at her from his tree, his mouth finally shutting for a moment at the sound of her tone.

"Yeah?" he asked, masking slight concern with a casual sounding voice.

"Are you leaving Kagome and Miroku to gather the jewel themselves?" She asked. She was surprised that she hadn't thought of it earlier, and didn't really know why she was setting off to go home before the jewel's line was ended.

InuYasha shrugged. "Not like they really want me around anymore…" he said vaguely, though he looked a little bitter. That _did_ seem to be the case… "Anyway, they can handle themselves. It's not like they always need me around; they're capable." He said. How he had managed to praise them with an air of arrogance was beyond Sango. She was shocked as she stared into the fire.

Complements? This can't be InuYasha… Can it? It simpl—

InuYasha jumped out of the tree, effectively shushing her mind. She looked up at him, and his countenance showed that he was watching something.

"Someone's coming…" he told her quietly. "They're downwind, so I can't make out who…" That had _not_ been the right thing to say to ease Sango's mind. She was in her uniform before she even finished standing up, and she watched it too.

There was a moment of tense silence, the kind of silence you drown in, the kind of silence that has seemingly no end. The tension associated with this silence was tighter than a drum, making Sango's hairs stand up on the back of her neck.

Sango could hear the rhythm of her own heart as she stood, awaiting whatever was coming her way. There wasn't any evil here, and that wasn't right. If it were a demon she probably would have felt it, unless the demon was powerful enough to mask its aura. After another moment of that same silence she began to hear footsteps, slowly traveling through the brush. She cursed the fire in her mind, which ruined her night vision, and made them a target to anything that wanted a hot meal.

Silence, broken only by the afore mentioned footsteps, ensued. The wait, which Sango was sure was only a few seconds, managed to last all entirety, trapping her there in silence, with InuYasha, and blind to whatever the night held in store for them.

A figure stepped out of the bushes, though it was silhouetted by firelight in the dark night. Sango couldn't make it out, though she tried. It stepped forward, effectively glooming it more. Eventually, it spoke.

"I thought you weren't going," was all it said. InuYasha stepped back. Sango had recognized the voice as well, and they no longer needed it to step into the firelight to establish who it was. It did so anyway, and now it could be seen that Miroku was glowering at InuYasha. She dropped Hirakotsu in sheer relief. Miroku's features, lit as they were, almost made him look demonic. At this, Sango swallowed, wishing she hadn't been relived.

She heard InuYasha draw breath to speak – And Sango was sure it would be more like a thing normal InuYasha would say – but she cut him off, not allowing him to rob her of any interrogation of Miroku.

"If you're not going to tell _me_ why you're so mad at him, you're not allowed to set any restrictions of my life! Besides, he didn't take whatever it is you think he did," she added. The last part didn't make much sense to her, but it had the effect of calming the air behind her, where InuYasha was, whilst simultaneously aggravating Miroku.

"Hah!" said Miroku without humor. His expression was no longer a glare. No, this was loathing, and something much darker than a glare, but he made dead sure not to look at Sango. "Here he stands with it. I can see it. I told him not to go, and yet he went anyway!" he roared. Why was he yelling? What had happened to Miroku? This wasn't _right_! Sango looked pleadingly at him, hoping desperately to uncover what was troubling him. She was determined to make this about her and Miroku, and leave InuYasha out of the picture. InuYasha stepped forward, into her view, his shoulders squared, looking ready to fight Kiroku, if necessary. It looked like she wasn't going to be able to make it about her and Miroku…

"Will someone please tell me what's going on?" she said instead. That was more important than resolving whatever conflict Miroku had to deal with, anyway. This was both Miroku and InuYasha, and she was not at charity with either, what with how they had handled the situation.

She saw InuYasha open his mouth, but the Monk interrupted him sharply.

"No," he said coldly, chilling Sango's bones. Sango'd never heard that tone from Miroku. She'd been hearing anger recently, and even distain, but she had never, not from _anyone_ heard a tone so dark, so cold, so _unfeeling_ as this, and to top that off, his glare was now fixed on her, and only her, so intently that it made her want to flinch back, but she stood firm instead, never willing to look like a coward. Sango didn't know what else to do at that point but retry her tactic of cooling him down, so she moved closer to him.

"Houshi Sama, please? I'll--" Thud. Sango didn't feel it at first, but she knew her head was jarred. She didn't believe it was possible, even though all her sensed told her otherwise. It seemed to take forever to hit the ground, and it was so far down that she though she'd never stop falling. When she finally was on the ground, after a moment or two she felt the tiny picks of pain in her cheek and jaw. Her eyes were so full of tears, which had come so suddenly that she couldn't defend herself from them, that her vision was blurred beyond the ability to see. She felt a foot to her side, which added to her agony, and carried her farther away from Miroku. Through the cloudy tears she saw red in front of her. She knew it was InuYasha's leg, and she could feel him standing in front of her, protecting her from any more blows the Monk wanted to get her with.

None of the other pain mattered. She knew her ribs were probably broken, and she could tasted the blood in her mouth from the Monk's punch to her cheek, but the rest of her body felt numb, and unimportant as her heart shattered.

He hadn't… Had he? He couldn't have…Why? Doesn't Miroku love me? I… I…

Before she could clear her vision enough to look hurt up at him, Miroku had turned on his heel and left. She sobbed on the ground for a while before InuYasha bent down and helped her up.

"I should go…" he told her. "Miroku was really serious," he added with disbelief while checking her wounds. Sango tried stupidly to reply, but she was mute with shock. How could that have happened…? Her knees buckled under her, suddenly realizing how heavy she actually was. She sat down on a rock, afraid that she would fall if she tried to continue standing. Every wail hurt like daggers in her side as she jarred her broken ribs, but they hurt even more to her heart, which ached in her chest, leaving the rest of her feeling hollow, and useless. She threw her head back a moaned.

"How could he…He… How?" she asked between howls of pain. InuYasha looked towards town as if he wanted to go back, or perhaps as if he was worried Miroku might return. He sighed, and seemed to decide something, and then he sat down next to her.

"If I told you he'd be even more upset, so I have to keep you in the dark," he said miserably. "I'm sorry," he added, looking down.

"And what the hell is wrong with everyone!" She screamed, her face red, and wet with tears. "You're not sentimental, Kagome Chan and Miroku Sama aren't violent unless they have to be!" she yelled. "And I'm… I'm not normally caught in the middle…" She added in a whimper, putting her face back in her hands and weeping into them. InuYasha looked around as if scared someone would see him, and shifted uncomfortably. He watched her, and she could feel his eyes on her back, she could almost _see_ his struggle with how to cheer her up. She certainly wasn't expecting what happened next. The universe must have gone out of sync. It couldn't have ever happened. It was… physically impossible. InuYasha looked after where Miroku had disappeared to, then he drew her up from her slouch, and wrapped her in his arms, his chin on her head. "You're gonna be all right, Sango," he said, reassuringly. His tone was soft, and he almost purred out the words, letting them drift down to her ears. "This'll all blow over…" he said, and hugged her closer and stroked her back comfortingly. Sango didn't care anymore whether this was InuYasha or not. She sought comfort, and he offered it. If he was going to let her cry on his shoulder, she was going to cry her heart out, even in such little pieces as it was in.

"I promise, Sango," he told her, his head now side by side with hers. For a brief moment he pulled her head back to look into her eyes. "You'll be okay," he told her firmly, gripping her shoulders tightly. She nodded weakly. At this he smiled warmly, and let her back down.

"Thank you…" she wailed into his chest.

End Chapter Two 


	3. Chapter 3

Sango could hardly open her eyes, they were so puffy from crying all night. She realized that at some point she must've fallen asleep, but she didn't remember it. Last night hadn't been real, she knew. It simply couldn't have happened, and she'd spent all night convincing herself that the bruise on her cheek had been acquired some other way. She hadn't succeeded. The fact that Miroku, calm, stable, sensible Miroku, even if he was a womanizer a bit, could have done something so… So… _Wounding_ to her, was unthinkable. She didn't know what was happening. Had Naraku done something? Had InuYasha and Miroku been… Switched somehow? The thought was a more pleasant one to hang on to than the idea of Miroku wanting to hurt her, even if a little less realistic, she felt.

Sango looked to Kirara. The little cat was there, and she was being herself, unlike everyone else. Sango was thankful for that, at least. Kirara nuzzled her head into Sango's chest, purring loudly. Sango laughed a little. It felt numbing, rather than what it usually felt like. Sango had to strain to remember now that laughing usually felt _good_, but now it just didn't feel at all. It _did_, however, feel better than the hole of self pity, and uselessness she was feeling any time she wasn't laughing.

She forced her eyes open, summoning as much composure as she could, then stood. The camp was barren as ever, the only things in the scenery were the one tree, InuYasha, and the ashen remains of the fire.

"InuYasha," she mumbled quietly. His ear flicked back, though he didn't look at her. In some small part of her mind she appreciated that. "Let's go," she added, after a long pause. InuYasha's gaze was firmly fixed on the fire in front of him. He trained his ears on it, too. Sango understood why. InuYasha was not the caring, sensitive type, so it must have been stressful what he'd done the previous night. Well, if that was the case, then she'd play his game this time, as a thank you. She picked up the bucket next to the fire, and dumped it. The fire made a loud hiss as it went out.

"We," she said, once she was absolutely sure he was listening. From the way he was staring at her, she was sure she had his undivided attention. "Are going," she said. InuYasha nodded dumbly, standing up.

…

The trip was going relatively smoothly. The day was hot, with the sun blaring overhead, unhindered by any clouds that would have otherwise protected the duo at least somewhat. The companions had traveled in complete silence the whole way up. There was nothing to be said. InuYasha walked in back with a distant look on his face. Sango walked ahead, as if somehow that would protect her from anyone seeing the darkening bruise on her cheek. Sango couldn't bring herself to talk to him. After what he'd done for her the night before, she didn't want to burden him any more. InuYasha probably thought that she would burst into tears again if he talked to her. This wasn't entirely unreasonable, but it was unlikely. Sango seldom cried; it simply wasn't in her nature to do so. She didn't like showing her weaknesses to others, nor did she like how it made her feel.

There were trees up ahead, Sango noted. With trees comes shade, she thought happily, wiping the sweat from her forehead. She knew about where they were now. There was a river up ahead that they would need to cross, but it wasn't for another hour.

"Sango?" said InuYasha. Sango, at first, didn't really know how to talk to him, but eventually she looked over her shoulder, hiding her bruised cheek from him.

"Yes?" she asked. InuYasha looked to Kirara, seeming to surmise his question before asking.

"Why aren't we riding Kirara? Wouldn't it be an easier trip that way?" he asked. Sango looked to the little demon on her shoulder.

"Too much weight," she said, simply. At InuYasha's confused glance, she explained further. "Well, see, Kirara can carry two easily enough, even one with as much luggage as I have, but would be a bit of a stretch. Two, and the supplies, though? She'd fall right out of the sky with that kind of weight!" Sango finished. InuYasha shrugged.

"Oh," he said mildly.

The hour passed in silence, again.

Sango looked over the river. She remembered this river was all dried up when they passed it last time. It was flowing rapidly now, cutting out all the other sounds around them, making them vulnerable. The demon that had previously blocked the river in some strange attempt to get 'elect tri-city' had been slain since then, now it was back to being a mighty river. Just why would Sango elect three cities? And elect them for what? No matter, she thought. She sighed quietly, looking for a place to ford the river, silently hoping there was a good spot nearby, even though she doubted it.

"Being a hero is too much work," she mumbled, setting her pack down. She glanced at InuYasha. He seemed to be considering something.

"All right," she shouted above the noise. "Here's the plan." InuYasha, however, hadn't been listening. He fastened his pack tighter, and straightened up.

"InuYasha!" she shouted, trying to get his attention. At three yards he couldn't hear her… Was he ignoring her? Maybe not, she thought, her hand going to pick up her pack.

But it wasn't there!

And InuYasha wasn't where she'd left him!

"InuYasha!" she shouted, even louder this time. He was already half way across the river, her pack in hand. Damn his and his demon jumps!

He dropped her back, and wiggled out of his own, then jumped back across.

"InuYasha!" she squealed. "What are you--?" she began, but was cut short by InuYasha suddenly picking her up but the waist, and leaping across the river.

It was strange how the lighting played tricks on his from this close. His skin seemed tanner, and more healthy, his hair was much more radiant, rather than just white, and his eyes… They were…

…They were a dangerous thing to look at! But she didn't really have anywhere else to look. The ground was a blur below her. She closed her eyes.

And suddenly she wasn't being held, it felt like. She was flying, gently being carried by a wind. She gripped her hand tighter, and opened her eyes.

InuYasha was next to her, slightly below her. It seemed to take forever for them to stop falling. InuYasha drew her closer, placing her on his back, then braced for landing, which came without event. Sango hopped off of the Hanyou.

"Well," she said, mostly just to make sure she still could. InuYasha was staring at her expectantly, so she continued with, "That's certainly one way to cross a river…" she said. "_I_ would have just asked Kirara to carry the packs across, then us. But that worked, I suppose," she said. Kirara 'Pfuued' at InuYasha, who looked quiet sheepish.

"Well why didn't you say so sooner?"

"I tried. The river was too loud, and if you'd waited just a moment, I would've gotten your attention," she said calmly, picking up her pack.

"Oh," he said, his cheeks turning a little red.

Once again, they continued in silence.

…

The day had provided a long, miserable walk that had worn through the spirits of the two. However, tas if to answer their prayers, InuYasha had spotted a village they were nearing, so they digressed from their path only enough to get to it, which was only an hour's travel. The two had been too tired to enjoy the bar, or anything the town had to offer in the way of pleasantries, and had rented - retired to - their room early.

InuYasha was already nodding off in the corner, Tetsusaiga propped up against his chest. Sango found, to her great surprise, that she wasn't tired in the least. In fact, she was so wide awake, she had watched InuYasha got to sleep to try and get herself tired as well. That had failed.

She turned over to look at the ceiling, her mind buzzing with questions. Her hand traveled up to the bruise on her cheek, touching it gingerly. She winced, and withdrew it quite quickly. Somehow it hurt more than any other wound. The pain was amplified by who had dealt it.

Suddenly she was angry. What the hell had she done to deserve that? Why did she have to take InuYasha's hit! She glared at the sleeping InuYasha. She'd made up her mind.

She stood up, standing over him and glaring.

"InuYasha, _wake up_!" she hissed. It was quietly, but plenty loud enough to rouse the young Hanyou from his sleep.

"Wha'?" he asked, looking around as if startled. His eyes made contact with hers, and he relaxed – but only a little. "What?" he asked again, with time more coherently.

"I want you to tell me why Miroku is so mad at you," she said darkly. InuYasha shook his head quietly, standing up.

"You think he's mad at me _now_! If I told you, it'd get ten times worse," InuYasha snarled. "Besides, I can't tell you, I made…" his jaw worked as his brain fought to let an unfarmilliar word through. "…A _promise_," he blurted. "I can't tell you," he said, though this time he seemed to beg her, pleading in his voice. Sango didn't care. Her glare bore down on him relentlessly.

"You also made a promise that you wouldn't come, _right_?" she asked. InuYasha's mouth shot open to respond, but he shut it promptly, glaring instead. Sango had won that part, at least.

"That's different!" he snapped, eventually. InuYasha looked as if he was overflowing with insults that he'd chosen not to bombard her with.

"Oh? Do tell," she said, her voice lined with venom.

"Cause I _wanted_ to come, and there wasn't really and harm in that… But… I don't want to…" InuYasha tried to fit his mind around the sentence he was saying. "I don't want to _hurt_ Miroku," he said, mentally relieved to have finished that. "And I think if I told you I might."

"You need to tell me," she said. "I want to calm Miroku down as much as you – probably even more - but he's not being _rational_!" Sango said, pleadingly. "If I know what's wrong, maybe I could make him see reason. Please, InuYasha!" she said, frustrated.

InuYasha snorted. "No, I really don't think you can calm him down," said InuYasha. Had Sango just imagined the extra emphasis on the 'you'?

"And why not? Everyone calms down at some time or another. Wouldn't it be better if we resolved sooner, rather than later?" she asked. InuYasha looked away. "Please…?" asked Sango.

She could see InuYasha's mind working behind his eyes. His ears were flat on his head, and he was looking beseechingly at her, as if entreating her not to make him tell her, but she didn't stop staring. She could see the exact moment that he caved.

"All right, I'll tell you," he said, clearly vexed. He didn't meet her gaze for a while. "Miroku doesn't want me to, though, and it might make him even more upset," warned InuYasha. It sounded to Sango like some sort of 'last resort' ploy. She wouldn't let that slide.

"So? Get on with it," she said, non-chalantly. InuYasha took a long, and overly dramatic breath.

"I…" he said, as if forming very hard to say words. Sango waited for him to look around the room some more, biding his time in answering. "I am a circus clown," he said. Sango's expression became Stone.

"What…" She said plainly, yet somehow slipping venom into her tone. InuYasha took the deep breath again.

"I'm a--" THUNK! "_Ow_!" said InuYasha, gripping his head quite tightly. As Sango put her boomerang back InuYasha was checking for blood. He looked at her innocently.

"Tell. Me. The. Truth." She said, putting her face _far_ too close to his. InuYasha stared straight into her eyes, seeming unbothered by the distance. For a moment she thought she saw his golden eyes water, but if they had, he'd blinked them back. He shook his head pitifully, imploring her not to make him tell. She even heard a whispered,

"Please…" choked out from his lips. InuYasha's eyes were melancholy, and indecisive. He shook his head again.

"I can't," he told her, whimpering.

"You _will_," she responded. She was already feeling guilty. She couldn't stop now though, it just wasn't an option, but he really did seem like he didn't want to tell her.

"Okay…" he said, sighing. Sango sat back down, allowing him breathing room. "I'm really going to tell you, but don't say I didn't warn you…" he said. InuYasha closed his eyes, taking a long, steadying breath. He opened his mouth to speak.

"I…" he began.  
The door shattered.

**End Chapter Three.**

**Whee!**

Man, I love this story, but I really wish that I could've written it better originally. Thanks to all who read it! And extra thanks to those few who reviewed it!

Michiko.


	4. Chapter 4

Sango's brain hardly registered the chips of wood that flew across the room bouncing on all this surfaces they touched. Sango gripped her Hiraikotsu, not bothering to wonder when she'd picked it up; she usually just _had_ it when she was in danger. Habit, she assumed. By a small turn of the head she could see enough of a metallic shine to know that InuYasha had already unsheathed Tetsusaiga. There was a choked gargled sound that was vaguely reminiscent of someone trying to say something, but what it was didn't matter compared to the _smell_! Sango could nearly _see_ the clouds of green stench being carried to her nose. Tears welled up in her eyes from this scent, and she choked, unable to breathe, but she was a trained professional, so should would have to overcome it.

Sango had practiced more times than she could remember, so the fact that two seconds later she was in full Taijia uniform, mask and all, was something she didn't really think about anymore.

There were hissing noises as bubbles of slime popped around the creature's mouth when it tried to speak again. This time, Sango could make it out.

"You haff demon bones-s-s-s?" it asked, all the while having little mucus suds obscure it's mouth while it spoke, making it remarkably hard to understand what it was saying, and causing it's speech to come out in hisses. "I want them!" it said, drawing forth it's arm which, up until a moment ago, had looked human. The disgusting fingers lunged, enlarging on their way. Both fighters managed nimble dodges. In their place was left a rancid liquid that was dissolving what it touched quite fast. Sango didn't have time to be thankfull for the fact that the demon was slow. The acid that the demon left behind would have taken care of Sango easily if she'd stayed. She knew now that she couldn't even take one hit, so there would be nothing careless…

Demon bones, she thought. She seemed to remember something about a demon eating the bones of another demon to steal their soul.

She leapt to the side as another attack was sent her way, rolling back up to a stand.

Yes, there was a warning about that, and that was why the Taijia had always exorcised their bone weapons.

As yet another of the demon's arms were swinging at her, she jumped over one, then ducked back under as it came back to the return.

So why would the demon want Hiraikotsu? There was no soul to steal, and no power to acquire, the demon would just be eating a big bone. There was no point to it.

The demon lunged again, though this time at InuYasha, who only barely managed to dodge.

Tetsusaiga! Of course! It was made of one of his father's teeth, so part of his father's spirit lingers around it, still giving the blade its mystic powers.

Sango drew her sword, knowing better than to throw her weapon into an acidic sludge demon; she'd never get it out!

"Begone!!" yelled Sango before attacking in a vain attempt to wake whoever was still asleep at the inn. Sango cast a quick glance to InuYasha, which was all she could spare, but from what she could see he was spralled out on the ground. Had he been hit? Was he okay?

The arm of the demon in close proximity to her reminded her that she had no time to spare for invesegation; she had a battle to fight, and a companion to protect. And every second counted, she reminded herself. She made a faint to the right of the demon, with an easy turn of the blade getting the left of it. The blade bit in creating a nice, deep gash. Sango gave silent thanks to the Demon Marrow Polish that her blade had been cured with giving it almost as much protection as a weapon made of demon bones. Sango checked her blade as quickly as she could. Good, still in one piece.

Sango had almost been destracted enough to not see the next assault, so she hit the groud to escape, singeing her uniform on what acid remained on her landing spot.

"Gif-f-f-f them to me!" it demanded, trying to get its body to co-operate with its self.

Sango stole another glance at InuYasha. He appeared to be unconscious.

Sango tried to locate the head of the demon… Or, more accurately, the brain, since it would be almost impossible to find the head with all the disfigurement. Aha, there… Sango slashed, ending the demon's attempt at power, and pathetic excuse for life as well. She wasn't even a little surprised when the demon didn't realize it was dead. In fact, she had been expecting it more than not. She managed to drag InuYasha away from the flailing demon without getting hit, or getting InuYasha hit. Eventually the demon melted away, but the room wouldn't be habitable for a while.

Sango looked back, feeling the adrenaline wear off and leave behind a nice eauphoria. She laughed.

"Yet another victory," she said between chuckles. She wiped off her blade, chrckrd it for damage and found it completely right. She sheathed after her quick inspection, then turned her attention to InuYasha.

"Hey, you okay?" she asked, shaking InuYasha gently. She checked his pulse when he didn't respond.

"Weak, but still there," she mumbled. No, it was clear he was certainly not okay. After shaking him more and more vigorously, and shouting at louder and louder volumes for him to wake up, the inn's owner arrived, shivering like a fool.

"Ma'am…" he whimpered. "What happened…?" he asked, trembling even more once he took a look in the smoldering room.

"There was a demon attack. My companion has been injured, fetch the nearest healer!" she told him. "_Now_!" she commanded. The man flinched at her tone.

"There isn't a healer here!" he cried. Sango sighed, trying to figure out what to do.

"All right, go pack my luggage to my steed," she said. At her queue, Kirara suddenly altered her size, frightening the man somewhat more. "Don't worry, she's tame and won't hurt you. Pack our things on her, please, and find me another mount. I will pay you for your time, just _go_!" she said, becoming increasingly frantic as she spoke. The man went, eager to be away from Sango. InuYasha's pulse was getting weaker by small intervals, though it was noticeable. Not good…

"InuYasha…" she said again, more to herself than to him. InuYasha coughed.

"Ugh!" said Sango, shielding her nose. "That smell!" she said. Wait, _smell_! That's right, InuYasha's nose was far supiriour to her own, so he must have had a much tougher time with the stench!

Sango quickly hauled InuYasha up on to her shoulders and marched out to the entrance of the Inn to get him away from the scent. Sango tapped his face, verging on a slap, really.

"InuYasha, InuYasha wake up!" cried Sango softly. InuYasha grunted slightly, then coughed. In fact, it was a spasm of coughing that looked very unpleasant, leaving him curled up on the ground, looking pained. His skin was ashen, and he was covered in his own sweat, maybe even some of the acid. She pulled out a hankerchif, and wiped down his exposed skin, knowing that the fire rat Hakama and Haori set would protect him from the acid. Sango couldn't think of a way that all of this was just the putrid scent getting to InuYasha… Even this wouldn't affect him so much. She searched her brain for any answers or clues she could come up with, but none offered themselves to her.

"What could be causing this!?" she asked herself.

"Ma'am!" said the Inn's owner, finally returning. "Have my mount, there's no need to pay me, since you've likely save my family and I. Please hurry, I'll load your other steed, if you wish!" he said, offering her the reins. Sango thanked him profusely, heaving InuYasha up onto the horse. The Inn keeper held him up while Sango mounted, then with one last thanks, she was off, holding InuYasha up.

The darkened road was uninviting, cold and, well, dark. She told her horse to go in a fast canter, though she knew it couldn't keep that pace up long. Horses get tired much faster than Kirara, and generally horses don't like having two people on them.

She looked up.

The road would have been entirely invisible were it not for the lightly colored grass on the sides. And since it was hard to make out she was thankful that the horse had it's own eyes to keep the on track.

She looked up.

It would be avout two more hours to the village at this pace, but she knew her horse would have to slow down for her horse to rest a little, so it would actually be longer than that.

She looked up.

She had to stay awake, and make sure that InuYasha made it to safety. She couldn't allow herself to fall asleep, or even get drowsy. InuYasha's life was on the line.

She looked up. Her horse was getting tired, so she allowed it a slight break by slowing to a rather sluggish trot.

Sango looked up.

"Kirara!" screamed Sango, so filled with relief that she couldn't believe it. "Kirara, come down here," she said. Kirara swooped next to her, looking attentive. "Quick, take him to Kaede-Sama's home, wake her is she's asleep. I'll come as soon as I can!" she swore, putting InuYasha on Kirara's back. Kirara mewed loudly, nuzzled Sango, then left, traveling much faster than Sango could on horseback, and much smoother, too, so as to not circulate whatever what in InuYasha any further than it had to.

Suddenly a weight was lifted. Sango slowed the horse to a stop, then dismounted to walk along side it.

"Good job, you earned a break," she sighed in relief. She'd make it there eventually, but she didn't have to hurry right now. She wasn't wounded like InuYasha…

…

The journey took roughly three hours, and Sango had nearly fallen asleep several times, but worry had kept her from doing so. When she finally did arrive she stabled the horse and dashed in as fast as she could. An exsasperated glance at Kaede asked all the questions that for her.

"Yes, he's here," said Kaede calmly. "It's not terribly hard to treat, since you got him here so fast. It would be easier if I knew what did it to him, though," she added. Sango sighed again, completely relieved.

"Acidic slugde demon. Ugh, thank goodness, now I can stop worrying, right?" asked Sango. Kaede nodded kindly. Sango laughed with relief. Sango turned to the side, then heard a gasp from Kaede.

"What's wrong?" she asked instantly.

"That bruise doesn't look like something done by a sludge demon to me!" said Kaede. "What happened?" asked Kaede. Sango frowned in confusion.

"What do you mean…?" she began, then remembered. She reached her hand up to her cheek and touched it gingerly. In all the excitement, she'd completely forgotten.

"Miroku…" she mumbled, mesmerized with the slight pain in her cheek. "He hit me…" she finished, still not really believing it herself. She suddenly felt very insecure, and helpless. Desperate to change the subject she looked around, than said, "But you really ought not to worry about me right now. InuYasha's your patient, after all, and he's in a bit more of a life threatening situation," she said. Kaege glared at her slightly.

"While I agree with you, I will not let this simply end here," she said reluctantly, turning her attention to InuYasha. Sango nodded. She didn't want to pick up the conversation, but she wasn't going to say that now. She refused to think about that right then. She turned and left the hut, pausing briefly. It didn't take her very long to know where her next stop was. No matter how tired she may be, right then she smelled worse than the demon she'd fought. She had to go to the hot spring, and fast. With a quick stop at her lodging she grabbed a spare Kimono and towel, then walked to the spring. Her mind had wandered slightly. She had been so worried about InuYasha… So very worried. Would shwe have been just as worried if she weren't mad at Miroku? …Was she mad at Miroku? No, she was… Sad. Sad about Miroku. She wasn't angry at him anymore, she felt more like she was guilty for doing something she couldn't possibly see how to avoid. She was frustrated by that, but not mad. _Why_ wasn't she mad? It seemed perfectly reasonable to be mad at him for that!

She looked around the hotsprings. No one was anywhere to be seen. There was no peeping top around that she actually ignored sometimes, allowing him fun for a few moments. No, he wasn't there… She felt a twinge of betrayal when she tried to fit him back into a normal situation. He had always been Miroku. The monk. But now he was… He was a source of inner torment to her. And he was mad at her. She didn't _want_ him to be mad at her, she just felt helpless to prevent it. Why had she insisted that InuYasha come along!? Why had she done something so stupid as to go against Miroku's clearly stated wishes!?

She got out of the pool and toweled herself off before heading back, her singed uniform in hand. She wasn't angry at Miroku… No, when she tried to be angry at him she just got mad at her own failings…

She entered town, seeing the empty steats made her long for the company of Kagome, so long as the girl was in a better mood. Sango sighed at that thought. She still had that mystery to contend with, too. Now that she was back here, she'd have plenty of time for that.

Though the bath had made her even sleepier, if that was possible, though the next thing she saw jolted her right awake again. Her heart ached, and her bruise cried out to the rest of her body even more pain than before.

"Hello, Sango…" said Miroku.

End Chapter Three 

**Sorry this one's shorter than the other two, guys, I just couldn't stretch it out anymore without making it seem forced, and I wanted to keep it good. Also, I'm sorry I haven't been updating, too. I'm really, really sorry… But summer's coming, so I'll be more in the mood for it, I think!**

**Michiko Mokuyaba.**


	5. Chapter 5

Alarms didn't have time to go off in Sango's mind. She was… Broken, standing completely frozen. She'd somehow dropped her taijia uniform some time ago. She held so still, not even breathing. Somehow she felt that perhaps if she didn't move, then she could wake up to find it was only a dream.

Miroku stood up calmly.

No such luck, she heard herself say.

"Please, hear me out," said Miroku smoothly. Sango felt the little pinpricks of pain shoot through her as her fingers absentmindedly traced her bruise. She refused to let herself show the weakness of touching it, and drew it away quickly, willing herself to be angry, rather than terrified.

Miroku had taken two steps forward. While still at a very modest distance, he managed to fill up her view, making escape appear to be a very difficult thing.

"I am well aware of how angry you must be at me," he began slowly. Sango's heart skipped a beat. "And you have every right to be. You have more than rights, in fact. If you weren't angry right now, I would have to think there was something wrong. My conduct has been particularly dreadful, especially to you," he said. She continued to try and glare at him, to _try_ to be angry, but she knew she failed. His calm, guilty countenece showed clearly. She wanted to be angry at him, and she wanted to punch him back, but… She couldn't. She felt ashamed, and weak in his presence.

Miroku sighed. He seemed to be trying to talk himself into something.

"Lady Sango," he began quietly, yet firmly. "I do not even begin to believe you should accept it, but I find myself hoping very dearly that you would at least consider forgiving me, and accepting the apology I am about to offer you. If, by some miracle, you would, it would ease much of my own strife, and I solemnly swear to do whatever is necessary to make up for what I have done," he said, quite sadly.

Sango was, for lack of a stronger word, shocked. She took a careful look at him, and saw even more clearly than before that he was guilty. He was certainly guilty and ashamed, and, contrary to Sango being so, for Miroku it was actually appropriate.

"My actions…" he continued, taking advantage of her shock. "I will not attempt to defend my actions, for they have been more than wrong, and I deserve whatever punishment you could conjure from the depths of your mind, and if given the chance, I would rather die than repeat them. However , I am aware of the fact that no matter how much I choose to regret something, that doesn't change the fact that I did it, and I know that saying something about it doesn't change it either," he said, then paused. Sango could see him nearly crying out in frustration for not saying all the right things, and looking away to summon up the strength to tell her something else.

"Lady Sango, there are no words filled with bitter enough remorse and sorrow to express how terrible I feel about my actions toward you, and how deeply sorry I am to have wounded you, or even attempt it, in any way. I know that I cannot even begin to show you how sorry I am, and man had never known such a deep grief as mine for the regret of my own actions. There's no reason for you to even consider this, but will you consider it for the sake of the man I was only a few days ago, before I chose to commit such atrocities? Sango, will you ever forgive me?"

Sango desperately wanted to retort with something rude, something that would slash his heart, and show him not to give her a chance at his vulnerability when she was angry at him, but when she even thought about it she could feel that there was going to be little to no venom in any tone she attempted to use. Instead, she didn't answer.

"I need to ask you something," she said shakily. If she was going to fear speaking at all, let alone speaking on the subject of forgiveness. Miroku took a few steps forward, only close enough to reach her hand, grasping it to place a polite kiss on it.

"Anything you ask, even if it never earns your charity," he said sweetly. Sango found herself torn between smiling at his remark and melting into his arm, crying out with anger at daring to be so casual with her. She could see, however, his remark in no way even suppressed his guilt, which was still evident on his face.

"Why…" she began, but her throat constricted. She wanted so desperately to figure out why he'd done what he'd done so that she could know what to forgive him for, but it hadn't worked. She tried to ask again, but she felt tears welling up in her eyes. Miroku stood back up from his kneel, and shushed her quietly.

"Please don't cry, Lady Sango," he whispered, drawing her into a gentle, yet reassuring hug. She found that she didn't want to resist. Right now, she wanted to be held, and comforted, and Miroku was a good person, she knew. He truly wanted to have her forgive him, she also knew. "Please, if I should make you cry in my apology alone, I will never be able to see your smile again, and if there is any hell, that would be it," he said, gently rocking her back and forth. She smiled, and simply let him hold her to give her the strength that she needed.

"Why did you do it? Why were you so mad?" she asked "Did I do something…?" she asked, trailing off. Her words received another shush at the growing sound of distress in her voice. He stroked her hair, and silenced her.

"You have done nothing wrong, nothing at all," he swore to her, giving her a reassuring squeeze. "InuYasha did nothing wrong as well. Instead, at his honesty, I scorned him, and I scorned his company," said Miroku. He pulled her away by her shoulders to look into her eyes. "But I swear to you, Lady Sango, the first person I will speak with to resolve this matter will be him. I could no longer be unfair to you, however. I had to make things right," he said, dropping his arms back to his sides.

"But… Why?" she asked again, since he hadn't actually answered her question at all. He stiffened slightly, and looked away as he answered.

"I do not wish to invade his privacy, and I certainly do not wish to be the one to tell you, for I do not wish to see your reaction," he said, oozing calm as he did so. "If InuYasha should so wish, I will explain that I give him leave to tell you, but I must not tell you," he said. "If you should choose that as my punishment, however, you will have to allow me to confer with InuYasha before hand." Sango was only more confused by his long winded answer.

"So, InuYasha won't tell me something that could hurt you, and you won't tell me something that would invade InuYasha's privacy?" asked Sango. She'd wanted to put at least some malice in her tone, but it hadn't worked. Instead, she had sounded confused.

"That does seem to be the situation," said Miroku. "I am in awe that he would consider my feelings on the subject, however," he continued with a slight chuckle. "I only wish I knew how much that that was an excuse. I cannot picture him saying that," he continued. Sango smiled, with her eyebrow up in a way that said, 'yeah, me too.'

"So," Sango began again after a short pause. "I didn't so anything…?" she asked. Miroku shook his head with a warm smile.

"You haven't done a thing wrong. You are perfect in every way, Lady Sango," he said. "And even if InuYasha had done what I thought he had, it wouldn't have been wrong on his part either. This fault is entirely my own, and I'm sorry to have not known that before," he said, guiltily. He too her hand in one of his again.

"So that begs the question, Lady Sango," he said, looking into her eyes in a hypnotic way. "Can you ever forgive a loathsome lout like me?" he asked her. She smiled at him. Who wouldn't? He's spent who knows how long trying to prepare for an apology he hadn't believed was going to happen. She nodded.

"I will," she said certainly. "I forgiv—" she began, when…

**WHACK! THUD!**

…The Universe seemed to begin to realign, and things became normal again.

…

InuYasha's eyes opened. He didn't really know if he was awake or not. Judging by the degree of the unpleasantness, he would guess he was awake. Some of the things contributing to his unpleasant feelings were, well, the fact that he felt like total crap. He could actually _feel_ the little beads of cold sweat dripping down his sides, tickling him as he attempted to breathe, which wasn't being easy. He felt congested, though instead of having it simply be in his nose, it was in his chest, and sort of mucus-ish feeling. He could hear himself wheezing, as well. He tried to look around, but when he moved his head pain shot like wild fire through his neck and chest, effectively laying him back down. Due to this, he began to cough.

"Ah, ye be awake, then," said Kaede calmly from somewhere to his left. InuYasha groaned. Though his memories were a bit vague, he was fairly certain that he hadn't been near _her_ in a while. He guessed, by the look of the ceiling, she either had already, or was in the process of treating him, because he knew the ceiling of her medical hut like the back of his hand.

He rubbed his neck, willing it to feel better so he could part ways with Kaede – _again ­– _But when he did he could feel all the sweat on his skin, and felt yet more of these little drips down his sides. No, he was gonna be here a while, for what ever reason he was here.

He double checked that he had all his memories. Yup, still there.

When he pulled his hand away, he saw some of the black hairs that stuck to it. He groaned loudly.

"How the hell did I manage to sleep for three days straight?" he asked annoyed.

"With yer human transformation no near, ye were in a weakened state, but yer nose and such weren't yet, so ye were sus'ept'able," said the hag, rubbing some foul smelling ointment on his neck. "Only reason this affected ye so much," she said.

InuYasha sneered, and wished he could look away. He always seemed to end up here on his human transformation, for one reason or another. Last time it was because he broke his arm and had a good, solid smack to the head.

A horrifying memory filtered its way back.

"Sango," he said suddenly. "Sango!" he said again, more forcefully. "Is Sango all right?" he shouted, grasping Kaede's arm suddenly, a look of desperation coming to his eyes.

"Sango is _fine_," she said, prying his hand off her arm. "She's the only reason yer here, rather than on death's door in some forest, or the like," she said, shooting him a sharp glare, which he chose to ignore. "In fact," she said, turning away to put away her medicines. "I was asked many times if ye were awake so she could talk to ye," she told him, as if it was his fault.

Another memory fit back into its place, along with the rest.

"Oh, no…" he groaned, recalling where they'd left off.

"But first, Miroku Sama wants to talk to ye, he said," continued.

"Oh, _no!_"

…

Sango's eyes opened to see a wonderful view of sunlight filtering through the bamboo curtains in thin strips of light all over.

She woke up, and already she could feel that today was good. She was in an inexplicably good mood, even though only a moment ago she'd opened her eyes. She sighed.

Even though Kagome hadn't returned, this was a good day. Even though InuYasha's condition had held stable rather than getting better, today was going to be a good day, she was sure of it. She felt good.

She looked around the room. It was empty aside from the modest positions of Miroku, Sango and InuYasha's. Miroku must have gotten up already, since he was usually up earlier than she was anyway. She smiled again.

Only two days ago she and he had made up, and she felt good about that, too. In fact, for the first time since her family died, she felt _happy_ to be alive, and she couldn't help but revel in the feeling.

She changed her clothes, her mind wandering anywhere happy, only elevating her mood more. She felt unshakably happy, in fact.

Once dressed, she walked out into the street, the warm sunlight hitting her face full on, making her feel like mother nature was giving her a reassuring hug.

The bruise on Sango's cheek was fading fast, now that she wasn't crying all the time. It was now only a slightly discolored mark on her jaw, and didn't hurt any more.

She turned, and looked around. Directly north, to Kaede's hut, she Saw Miroku leaving.

"Houshi-Sama," she said as a greeting. Miroku smiled to her.

"I have good news, and I have bad news," said Miroku. Sango smiled and laughed.

"All right, give me the good news first," she said.

"InuYasha is awake. And we have spoken, and we have come to terms. He also says to tell you that he's ready for your interrogation," said Miroku.

"Well, that's good to hear," said Sango. "At least I know that the bad news isn't that he has Amnesia again," Sango laughed. "What is it, by the way?" she asked.

"I lied," said Miroku with a huge grin. "There's no bad news," he said. They stood there, sharing in a good laugh. Apparently she wasn't the only one that felt good today. After a few moments of laughter, then silence, Miroku spoke again.

"Well, I expect you wish to talk to InuYasha, then, Lady Sango?" asked Miroku. Sango nodded. It felt good to have Miroku back. He wasn't as fun when he was punching her in the jaw, that was for sure. In fact, as a reward for his good behavior, when she passed him, she left there to be no mention of his hand brushing in regions it was expressly forbidden to be in. She looked at him as she entered Kaede's hut, and could see that she was shocked, staring back at her with a quizzical expression.

Sango chuckled at that, and dropped the bamboo curtain behind her as she entered the little structure.

"Good morning, InuYasha," she said, with a little more perk than she really meant to use for an invalid. Especially InuYasha. "Feeling any better? Still got all your memories?" she added, just for good measure.

"Yes, thank you, I still know who I am," snapped InuYasha. "And I feel like shit. Not as bad as last time, though," he snickered. Sango couldn't help but notice that he looked cold, and pale. There was sweat on his forehead, and his lips had the slightest tint of blue, but she was dead sure they were.

"That's a shame," she said, for lack of anything more feeling.

"Kaede-baba says that the treatment's working," said InuYasha, his tone completely devoid of enthusiasm. At Sango's blank look, he translated, "That means I'm going to feel like crap for a few more days, as likely as not," said InuYasha, bitterly. "What the hell attacked us, anyway!?" he snapped.

"Acidic Sludge demon," said Sango promptly. "Very potent. Probably one of the ones that allowed its self to go through a fermenting period. Must have had time to use its powers on you, or something," she added. InuYasha nodded quietly, then stopped with a wince, reaching a hand to his neck.

"Thought I remembered something along those lines," he said. With that, he began to cough. Similar to the other times she'd seen him ill, Sango was unnerved at how frail he seemed, and how crippled he was. It simply wasn't in InuYasha's personality to be ill like this, and she didn't really know what to think.

"So, InuYasha. You already agreed to tell me why Miroku is—_was_ so mad at you, remember?" she asked. InuYasha opened his eyes for the first time the entire conversation. He inched his head interval by interval to look at her without pain.

"Miroku and I talk, and it's pretty obvious that he doesn't want me to tell you. I mean," he paused for a cough. "I know he said it was okay, but I still… I still don't want to hurt him, see," he said, adding in another cough. Sango looked at him, summoning up her most pleading look possible.

"_Please_, InuYasha! I feel in the dark, and I hate that feeling, you know that! I can't concentrate with this hanging above my head, and I want to know how I can prevent Miroku from getting violent again!" she pleaded. InuYasha turned his head away in that same slow, methodical manner. He took a moment to consider. Sango could see his jaw muscles tighten and relax several times in that moment as he stayed silent. He also coughed a couple times.

"Fine," he said, after a few moments. "But I'm really thinking that the Sludge demon was a sign, maybe," he warned. After clearing his throat, he spoke again, this time in a lower, sweeter tone, staring her in the eye.

"Sango, I'm madl--" he began, and finished with another coughing fit. Sango sighed, and waited patiently for him to finish. But he didn't. In fact, when she looked down, she saw a bit of black ooze at the corner of his mouth.

"InuYasha?" she asked, shaking his shoulder as he coughed.

He stopped coughing, and instead began convulsing.

"InuYasha?!" she asked again. She screamed at him, shaking his shoulders. It didn't take more than a moment for Sango to get up and dash outside.

"Miko sama!! Please, I don't know what's happening! Something's wrong!" she wailed.

Kaede was on the move before another thing could be said, and she quickly ushered Sango out of the way, and out of the room.

She was still in the dark about whatever it was. Perhaps InuYasha was right, perhaps the Sludge demon _had_ been a sign.


	6. Chapter 6

Sango's fuehrer of worry had continued through the night, permitting little to no sleep for the anxious demon hunter. She tried the sludge demon scenario over and over in her mind, willing herself to have done it better, and compelling the universe to allow her to have protected InuYasha so that none of this would have happened, but she knew that wishing didn't fix things. Dwelling on something was a sure way to not get anything done, she knew all too well.

She burrowed her face into her pillow, as if somehow the cloth and straw would drive these thoughts from her mind. The longer she allowed herself to think about it, the more she felt responsible, and guilty. She simply couldn't allow herself to take the blame for InuYasha not being at his best, though the deeper regions of her mind seemed to think that was the only appropriate option.

No matter how many times Kaede assured Sango that InuYasha was fine, her concern was never quenched. Sango wished she could believe so well that InuYasha would be perfectly intact, but prior experience told her not to, even though Kaede had told her that InuYasha's body was simply purging the foreign material from his system, so he would be off his feet for a while, but quite fine once he had worked it all through.

As another tactic to ease her own anxiety, Sango requested that Miroku put an exorcism sutra on InuYasha, and try to prevent any outside evil from grabbing anything even resembling a foothold. Now all that could be done was wait.

Sango was never one for waiting. She never liked it when she was young, and practically powerless to prevent it, and she liked it even less when she grew up, and started doing things for herself, cutting down waiting. She was a warrior, so she would fight. She wasn't a scholar, she wasn't good at patience and virtues of such a nature. No, she was strong, so if there was an obstacle she would move it, rather than waiting for someone else to come do it for her. Her nerves were not used to having so much _time_ to think about a crisis, so they were racked to a great degree. She couldn't think what to do to ease her mind, even a little.

The sense of responsibility lingered, still quite strong, though. She took the blame for his illness, even though when she thought of it rationally, when had InuYasha ever been her _charge_? If anyone could take care of themselves in a fight, she'd nominate InuYasha. He'd been getting into brawls since he was a child, and he always came out on top. He'd even gotten into actual _fights_¸ with actual _demons_ when he was too young to really remember, and he was still alive.

Though, even with this line of thought, she was still un consoled, and fretted yet more into her pillow.

She sighed quietly, trying to move her mind from the subject, as she'd already done what felt like a hundred times, when Miroku walked in. Looking at his collected form was simultaneously like a breath of relaxation and like a mockery of her frazzled state. He looked down at her kindly.

"Should I instruct Kaede to check on _your_ health as well, Lady Sango?" Asked Miroku. "You're looking almost as bad as our little invalid. When _will_ he learn to stop injuring himself?" the monk chuckled. With one little smile from Miroku, Sango's heart seemed much lighter, and much less like it would fall out at any moment, leaving her bleeding while struggling to find it again. It was – to say the least – reassuring. A single joke had suddenly raised her spirits tenfold. She had Miroku back. Not the unreasonable man who had hit her, and InuYasha only a few day prior, but a calm, thoughtful man, even if he was slightly lecherous at times.

"I think I'll be all right without Kaede's assistance, thank you," said Sango, much more light heartedly than she felt at the moment. "I'm doing better than InuYasha, at least," she said, smiling. Miroku allowed a small chuckle at her remark, as if continued from his.

"I see," he said, nodding to conceal a larger smile at InuYasha's expense. Try though she might, Sango would never be able to explain the feeling that being around Miroku gave her. It was almost like exploding, though in reverse. Like all the pieces of her that were scattered across the world were being pulled back to one another, and filling her up with a bubbling feeling in the pit of her stomach making her limbs tingle with exitement. It was like what digesting pure happiness would feel like, she felt. Keeping her mind from InuYasha's crippled state would be much easier with Miroku here.

"I have some news that will do you good," Miroku assured her. "Not only is InuYasha's condition steadily improving, but also, Lady Kagome is returned." The news did as was promised.

"Where is she?" asked Sango, suddenly vertical again.

"I believe she's still around the well, but I could be wro--"

"I need to speak with her, I have to go," said Sango, excusing herself hastily. Her legs moved with newfound purpose. She had to find her friend, not only to inform her of InuYasha's condition, since she doubted that Miroku would have opted to be the bearer of bad news, and also to try to piece together the puzzle just a little more. InuYasha was too ill to tell Sango what she wanted to know, and Miroku, though perverted, was too honest and principled a man to invade InuYasha's privacy by telling her, so Kagome was a last resort. Sango couldn't believe that her friend would be so angry about InuYasha's sorrow as someone's demise, and it was more likely than not that these dynamics were related somehow.

She suspected that Kagome hadn't gotten far, what with Kagome being who she was. In fact, when heading toward the well, Sango discovered that Kagome hadn't gotten far at all. She was still leaning on the well, her eyelids sliding closed over her eyes.

"Kagome-Chan!" cried Sango, relieved at seeing her friend. Kagome didn't stir. Sango laughed, knowing this look from the many other times she'd seen it. With a tap on the shoulder, Kagome woke up and yawned. Her eyes remained half closed, and unfocused as she said,

"Blargh?"

"No, just me," said Sango holding back a chuckle. Kagome smiled for a moment.

"How long was I out for?"

"Dunno, I just got here," replied Sango. "Late study night again?" she asked.

"Oh, you wouln't believe some of the things my teachers are trying to get me to do. E to the I minus Pi…" she mumbled, sipping her can of 'Get Buzz' energy drink.

"I… Uh, eat a mince-pie?" Sango asked uncertainly.

"Hah, I wish," chuckled Kagome heartily.

Suddenly it felt like a dangerous thing to try and get an answer of this sort. It seemed taboo to try and figure out why Kagome was angry whens he seemed so happy.

"You're staring at me, Sango-Chan," said Kagome. "What's up?" she asked. Sango took a deep, steadying breath.

What the hell happened when we killed Naraku?" she asked. "Why were you and the Monk so angry with InuYasha? It's… Bugging me," she said.

It was faster than one could say 'ice cube' that Kagome's face hardened into frozen glare. Suddenly all the drowsiness was gone, and Kagome was entirely focused on _her_, and not in a happy way.

"You… You little bitch," she said. "You already know!" she screamed, stringing her bow with practiced ease, and the speed of a furious teen age girl. Sango could only be puzzled by this. What?

"Already know what?! What do I know, and why are you mad about it?!" she asked desperately. "And why mad at _me_!?" she screamed. Kagome slotted an arrow and aimed expertly.

"I'm not gonna admit defeat! I won't say it, 'cause it's not true!"

Sango's hindbrain took over. She looked quickly from side to side and… Her hands thrust themselves forward. Kagome fell backwards. …Backwards into the bone eaters well.

The wisp of purple smoke at the bottom told Sango that Kagome had gone back to her own time, and was unlikely to return any time soon.

"Damn," said Sango, catching her breath. While she turned back to return to the village, she was that much closer to resigning to not know this secret. However at the same time, her belief that she had to know so she could fix things was also fortified.

…

InuYasha's eyes opened. The remained open, though they had the sort of sticky feeling that comes from having your eyes closed for too long.

When he looked at the ceiling it became blatantly obvious to him that he was delirious. What was not so obvious to him was that being aware of being delirious is an oxy-moron…

He heard a noise from the side which was undoubtedly Kaede looking up from her alchemy. She checked his eyes smartly, then turned around to fetch another ointment.

InuYasha suddenly felt hopeless. Four days here? He wasn't likely to make it, was he? Well, he knew that he had to get out his last secret, the one Sango had been dying to know. He didn't want to carry it to the grave. Plus, even if he didn't die, now was the best time to tell Sango, since no one in their right mind would attack an invalid.

"Kaede," he said, though it came out in a choked mumble. "I need…" he began, then stopped because he nose stung with what he could only justify as unshed tears.

"I need you to tell Sango something…" he informed Kaede.

"Ye'll get to tell 'er yerself, don't ye worry, about that," said Kaede matter-of-factly.

"No, I won't," he stated. "So you need to tell her _for_ me," he said. Then he remembered himself, and took up the sick act again.

"Tell Sango I'm sorry. I… I… I-**_ACHOO_**!"

…

Sango's panic had carried her back to town, a little disoriented, and coming back from a severe adrenaline high. Her arms and legs tingled, protesting the movement they'd been put through, and at the same time demanding to be far, far away from this place. Sango stopped, bending over to catch her breath and steady her heart.

Sango had panicked, shoving her friend into the well. Why the hell had there seemed to be no other option? Sango knew her friend to be partially unreasonable at times, but Kagome was pretty level headed, and if you talked things through with her, you'd be able to work things out most of the time. Sango sighed. If only InuYasha would learn to talk things through with her, too.

Why had Kagome attacked Sango? Had Sango done something wrong? Was that what this big secret was?

She tore aside the bamboo curtain that acted as a door for Kaede's guest hut, and peered inside.

In the middle of the floor, with incense burning around him, sat Miroku, deep in meditation, and undisturbed by Sango's alarm.

Sango's breath steadied instantly, the sight of Miroku being a calming factor to an extent that Sango would never allow herself to admit. Sango brushed her hair aside, annoyed to dicover that her hair tie had fallen out and her dark coffee hair was now spilling over her shoulders in a messy way. All she had to do was look at the man, and she was calmed. A shame that Miroku was reminding her of her other worries, at the same time.

With a heavy sigh, Sango turned around to head next door to the ramshackle hut that often acted as a hospital for InuYasha and their companions. She gently moved aside the bamboo curtains, allowing sunlight into the otherwise gloomy little room.

"Ah, Taijia Sama," said Kaede as Sango entered.

Sango looked over the hut for a moment, seeing what could only be called a large 'splat' of black goo on the wall opposite the patient. Kaede held a coarse-haired brush at the ready, cleaning the noxious ooze.

"What is…?" she began, unable to finish that sentence with anything better than, "...That?"

Kaede expertly dodged the question. "InuYasha was requestin' to see ye before…" she sighed dramatically. "Before he _sneezed_."

Sango's mouth dropped open. "Sneezed?" she repeated. "That was a sneeze?" she asked, horrified. She'd never heard anything about dog demons sneezes being black and icky looking.

"Well, not just _any_ sneeze," said Kaede reproachfully. "One he just _had_ to aim at me, the little wretch," said Kaede. "Purged the evil all at once. At least that's over with. He's really dreadful company, ye'know," added Kaede, a shade darker than before.

InuYasha looked much more comfortable than before. There was color in his skin again, and he was sleeping peacefully, rather than slipping in and out of consciousness. Sango smiled, suddenly all relief. She couldn't suppress a chuckle at the sudden lightness in her heart. A chuckle, which turned into hearty laughter, then subsided. At Kaede's questioning look, Sango smiled, and replied with,

"The world is looking up, Miko Sama," she said brightly.

There was a cough from the sick bed, as InuYasha woke back up, groping for the bamboo container that held his water. Sango gently placed it into the Hanyou's hand. With a glance to Kaede, the old priestess nodded, and stepped out of the room to allow Sango to speak with InuYasha.

"I suppose you may as well call me if he starts dyin' again," said Kaede. Sango repressed the urge to shoot a glare at her.

Sango heard the old woman's footsteps, and listened until she was far enough away that all Sango could hear was InuYasha drinking.

"Are you feeling better?" Sango asked, once InuYasha had finished off the water. InuYasha seemed to think about this for a moment.

"Yeah, I guess I am," he said rather hesitantly. "A lot lighter, too…" he added.

"You haven't really eaten anything in days, so that's to be expected," replied Sango.

"Nah, I mean like a weight off my chest, sorta thing," said InuYasha, waving a hand. "Only in a more physical sense," he said.

"Oh, well, I suppose that could be the demon power being gone," admitted Sango.

There was a silence after that. Both of the occupants of the room remembered what happened in there last meeting, and what was about to happen as well, though Sango was too embarrassed to speak up about it, and InuYasha was just as happy not bringing the subject up again.

"InuYasha, I---" began Sango, who was quickly cut off by InuYasha waving her into silence.

He let out a heavy sigh, as Sango waited not-so-patiently for his next words.

"Okay, Sango, this is big, so I'm gonna have to make you agree not to do anything different once I tell you this, got it?" he asked. Sango wasn't quite expecting that.

"Okay, I agree," she said, never the less. InuYasha shook his head.

"No, no, I really don't want Miroku to get hurt over this, so you have to _promise_," said InuYasha. Sango's brow wrinkled. InuYasha, this concerned about a man who only a few days ago had tried to harm him? It was like a paradox, or an oxy-moron of sorts. Sango couldn't wrap her head around it.

"All right, I promise," she said cautiously. InuYasha looked at the ceiling, as if she wasn't there, and he'd already told her whatever it was. He was either thinking for a very long time, or ignoring her. From what she could see, he was actually trying to fall asleep…

"Sango," he said eventually, snapping Sango back to attention. "You know me. You know I never pad my words, even when I really ought to, and you know that I don't beat around the bush, unless it's to annoy someone, so here goes," he said. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, looking away from her.

"Sango, I love you," was what he said next. It wasn't hard to know that the promise she'd made only a few minutes ago would be impossible to keep.

**End Chapter Six**

Whee!! Finally finished chapter six of the revamp, and I'm super happy to say that An Open Meadow will be coming out soon. It's a prequel to this story, telling of the events leading up to InuYasha falling for Sango.

I'll post the first chapter after I revamp chapter seven. Keep an eye out for it, and tell me what you think!!

-The Green One.


	7. Chapter 7

_Sango, I love you..._

There was no other way to interpret these words. There was no way to allow herself to believe they meant something other than what they intended to mean. InuYasha loved her. But... Why? How? Kagome had been with him for longer, and she'd been devoted to him and only him for the entire time Sango'd known InuYasha. InuYasha had also seemed devoted to her.

Sango's heart was no longer light with relief. In fact, it was heavier than ever now. She began to speak, but InuYasha waved her into silence.

"Now, I know the questions running around in your head," said InuYasha gruffly. "You're gonna ask all the stupid little questions like, 'why', 'when', and 'what about Kagome'? Right?" asked InuYasha. Sango nodded dumbly. "Well too bad. There aren't any answers," snapped InuYasha. "Love is love. You never realized you're falling on love, you just know you're _in_ love, as annoying as _that_ is," said InuYasha, seemingly more to himself than to her.

Sango felt her forehead wrinkle with guilt, and grief. Confusion, sorrow, but really mostly guilt. A lot of guilt. Her throat was constricted, and she felt as if even opening her mouth was too much of a stretch at this point. She watched as InuYasha became a hazy image behind her tears.

"Well try to answer them," squeaked Sango. She'd intended venom in her tone, she'd intended to prick him at least a little, but instead it came out as a hoarse whisper, forcing more tears to take place of the ones which were now falling down her cheeks. The only thing that even implied a venomous tone was her glare, which was only visible to the keenly aware.

"I can't tell you, 'because you're prettier,' or 'because you saves some starving kid,' but I can tell you it's because you're _you_. That's all the answer I can offer, got it?" said InuYasha. "So there's no why, and there's no when. And the whole 'What about Kagome' thing, well that's just dumb. If I love you, then I don't love Kagome. You're too different for me to try and love at the same time. My head would split," he told her rudely.

Sango was speechless. The world had just come apart at the seam, and she was awake to watch it happen. InuYasha, in love with her, and _not_ Kagome? The pieces fit together too well, but they weren't making a picture she could recognize. None of this made any sense, and she wouldn't have believed it, other than the fact that… Well, parts of it _did_ make sense. Parts of it were, in fact, as logical as you could expect love to be.

"Okay, that's all the gawking you get to do now," said InuYasha abruptly. "Get out, I'm done talking about this," he said, very clearly unhappy with the response. Though, who really would want to watch the object of their affections be horrified to hear an oath of fondness?

Sango stood, slightly unsure if her legs would hold her up at this point. She turned to the exit, and walked through it, not even bothering to move aside the flap as she did. Her heart, which had been so light that it practically lifted her off the ground when she woke this morning, had become a lead weight, causing her to slouch. She could _feel_ the bloated feeling of guilt and depression spreading through her system like some sort of lead syrup, weighing her down all over until even her _fingertips_ felt miserable. She had been so happy this morning, feeling so capable, so strong, so full of verve and life, but now she was heavy with the burden of guilt that she did nothing to deserve. Everything inside over her felt like it was tearing her apart, making her feel so small and helpless, so puny and pathetic. There was the pain in the back of her throat, and the explosion of emotions in her stomach that foretold tears. She retreated to Kaede's guest hut, looking for anything that might provide the cure for her pain. Something that might allow her to feel somewhat happy again, or an offer of solace and comfort.

The hut offered no such thing to her blurred vision. It offered a dirty wooden floor to collapse onto in a heap of tears, and wail away until she could bear what she'd just heard.

Miroku must've heard her crying, for soon after he entered the hut and set down his staff. She could feel him looking at her with sympathy. She then felt his hand around her waist, and his voice shushing her, and attempting the feat of offering her support in which the modest building had failed.

"Sango," he whispered quietly. At this, Sango could do nothing more coherent than releasing a large howl of pain and confusion, deeply intertwined with her tears. He shushed her again, pulling her onto his lap with very little effort. "Please, Lady Sango, do not despair," he begged. "I wish for your sake this had been handled differently, I really do," he supplied.

Sango looked up at him, trying to find that little spark, that instant calming effect he always had on her. She stared into those warm brown eyes, trying to see what she saw before, but it didn't have the desired effect. It felt like she was going to die of shame when she looked into his face, even more so than it had before. Miroku was hurting her just by being there, as surely she must've been hurting Kagome too. How long had they all known? Did InuYasha let them find out when they were killing Naraku, but not Sango? Why!?

"How could you not tell me!?" Sango demanded angrily, tearing herself out of Miroku's grip. This was an outlet. An outlet she knew all to well. Anger was something she knew how to work with, and she knew where she stood with anger. Anger, at least, she could use.

"How _dare_ you!" she yelled, planting as hard a punch as she could onto his face, then storming out. Her arms were shaky enough that she wouldn't have broken his jaw, but she would have dealt some damage, at least. Now she could feel the red-hot anger spread through her veins into her arms, giving them extra strength. The next person Sango punched wouldn't be so lucky as Miroku had been.

It had been too fast… Sango's sorrow had ignited, and changed to outrage. What the hell were they thinking? _This_ they couldn't tell her? Something this big and important had to remain a secret? Why?! She was angry. Angry at the world for various reasons, angry at InuYasha for falling for her, angry at Miroku for not telling her, and she was _certainly _angry at Kagome, and she didn't _need_ a reason for that!

She wanted to storm away, into the wilderness, fight off a few demons barehanded, then come back and do the same to her 'friends'. In fact, that seemed like a really good idea… Wilderness, away from perverted monks, annoying half-breeds prone to falling inconveniently in love, and stupid priestesses who tried to kill her without even knowing that she had no clue what was going on. Yeah, that sounded really good.

Her arm was suddenly trapped in Miroku's grip. She tried to break out, but it wasn't going to happen. If you were being held by Miroku, you may as well have chained your arm to a brick wall.

"Let me go, Monk," she said warningly, shooting a venomous glare up at him that would have wilted a field of wildflowers. Miroku's appearance of guilt, and small sigh of disappointment, only served to make Sango _angrier_, to a degree she didn't quite believe herself.

"Sango, please," he said the sober tone of someone who doesn't want to, but will be smacked again if he needs to. "I must insist that you calm down before I can let go," he said. Sango exploded.

"_Me_?! Oh, this is just fucking _rich_," she snarled darkly. "_You_ want _me_ to be reasonable? Is that fair? Did _you_ handle it reasonably, _Monk_? Did you?" she growled. To this, Miroku's features hardened. "No, I don't think you did, actually," Sango continued. "No, you hit me, just like I did to you, only when you hit me, it wasn't fucking fair! I didn't even know, and I didn't _deserve_ it!" screeched Sango, taking Miroku's shock an pain as an opportunity to escape his loosened grip. She was still facing him, glaring daggers.

"I'm _not_ putting up with this, do you understand?!" yelled Sango. "I don't need _any_ of this!" she cried, marching away stiffly.

…

The sun didn't dare take its toll on someone so furious as Sango had been. Due to sheer stubbornness she refused to become tired, refused to allow fatigue to slow her down in the least, and above all, refused to let go of her righteous anger. Her rage, that had fueled her through her hasty retreat not too many days ago, was all but burnt away, solitude allowing her to collect her mind into a less frazzled state, though she was by no means _forgiving_ anyone yet. She had to remember that she was angry, otherwise she wouldn't be, because she would forget and allow them to get away with this abhorrent behavior. Her fast pace had been the one she'd used all the way here, and though in her clouded, angry state, she hadn't been tired by it at all, she now felt the wear of five days travel claiming what belonged to it. She now felt the fewer hours of sleep as she walked, and she was feeling thirst and hunger, neither would be sated simply by eating. She knew she needed to rest, and let the nutrients settle, lest she die of malnutrition while she was eating perfectly well.

When she stopped for a moment to set down her pack and eat, it became painfully clear to her that she couldn't outrun exhaustion. When she sat to eat, she could feel it all catching back up with her, because fatigue never rested, and never took a break. Sango, however, was feeling that she needed a break now. She watched as the sky darkened, and the shadow rose in the east. The thought of sleep was becoming more and more appealing by the second, and before she knew it, Sango was laying out her bedroll, ready to retire for the night.

The weight of her eyelids increased tenfold, and they reached the point where Sango was unsure if they would ever open again, but the release it was bringing, and the promise of easing her sore limbs was too much to simply ignore at this point, and maybe it was worth eternally heavy eyelids.

In her dream state Sango felt the guilt creeping back. It was all she dreamt about. Her hands, wrapping around several different hearts and just snapping them, indifferently. This was her fault, wasn't it? How could there be any other way to interpret that? It was her fault for not… For not what? What could she have done differently? Honestly, it was similar to the situation with InuYasha fighting the sludge demon. How could she have done anything better?

Sango was awake, faster than she knew what had happened. Her senses were on full alert, her sword in hand and her Taijia uniform on in an instant. She felt her heart beating, threatening to break open her ribcage in her excitement. Sango stared into the darkness, forcing herself to see in the night better than normally. She could _feel_ something out there, and she knew it could tell she was here. Whether it smelled her, or heard her or saw her, it didn't matter. It knew she was there, and she didn't know where it was. There was a prickle in the back of her neck, telling her it was behind her, whatever it was, but when she turned, there were still eyes boring into her back. Was she insane? Was there really just nothing there?

She turned quickly, trying to catch a glimpse of what was watching her.

Here eyes widened a fraction, but when her brain ran through what she'd seen she forced herself to look angry, rather than shocked or fearful. She's seen a silver glint, and a red shape in the darkness.

"InuYasha!" she shouted. "Leave, I will not take the offence lightly!" she warned darkly, keeping her voice as level as an outraged person ought to sound.

A twig snapped behind her. She didn't need to turn to know who it was. She knew all the tactics that InuYasha used. She'd taught him more than half of what he knew, and she wasn't stupid enough to turn. InuYasha was allowing himself to be seen, then Miroku would make Sango thing that InuYasha had gotten behind her. Not going to work. She stared into the night after InuYasha, knowing full well that he was going to be the one lunging at her to retrain her.

"Miroku, I will not go easy on you," growled Sango. "If you don't both leave, _right_ now, I will fight you," she sneered, her voice dripping with venom. Silence answered her threats.

"My warning won't be retracted, and it won't be repeated. I don't _want_ to kill either of you, but you aren't leaving me much of a choice, now are you?" she snarled.

InuYasha stepped forward, the light of the moon catching his silver hair and making him simply glow. His face was cast in shadow, but Sango could see him well enough to fight, if need be.

"You always have a choice, Sango," he said. If Sango's disposition had been of a calmer sort she would have been able to detect the hints of melancholy in his tone, but as it was she wouldn't have cared, even if she heard them.

How could they possibly construe this as fair? She couldn't possibly not treat them differently. The thought of being with Miroku when InuYasha was watching them the entire time was… Well it was impossible. It wasn't feasible. She'd have to look into Miroku's eyes and try to ignore the downcast half-breed, who never got anything in life except bad luck. How could they ask her to even try that? She didn't want to hurt anyone, but there was no way out that she could see. She was caged, as she'd never been before. And the worst part was that there was no imminent death awaiting her, focusing her mind on freedom. Instead, there was pain to her, and pain to others the entire time she was held prisoner, and even if she escaped there would be yet more pain. She couldn't win, and she could die to loose either. There wasn't a _way out!_

"Look," said Sango, finally. "I don't want to harm either of you…" threatened Sango. InuYasha took a few more steps to her. Sango gripped her blade tighter, as if it were her only anchor to the world of the sane.

"Then don't, Lady Sango," said Miroku, stepping toward her from behind. Sango pivoted, and backed up, making sure she could see both men without turning her head. She was outnumbered, but at least she didn't have any other major disadvantages now. If she had to fight, she could fight both, rather than being backstabbed. Fighting was more natural to her than talking. She didn't know how to talk about this sort of thing, it was all so foreign.

"Sango," said InuYasha, in what was intended to be a soothing tone, his silver hair still gleaming in the paltry light available.

Sango shut he eyes tight, organizing her mind for battle and forcing herself to harden her heart, if necessary.

She let out a terrible cry, and charged, sword held high.

_First take out InuYasha, before you get tired. You can handle Miroku more easily than InuYasha, so don't let him get behind you. Miroku's only human_… she head herself think, as she always did in battle. It was strategy, to some degree. All warriors had some amout of it, and Sango used it the best she could.

She aimed a slash at InuYasha's head. _He'll parry with Tetsusaiga_, she told herself.

He didn't, however. He parried with its sheath, knocking Sango's blade away. Sango didn't let this slow her down. Unexpected or not, she would bounce back. She aimed another slash at his waist, using the same momentum from being bashed away. Once again, InuYasha parried, and sent her sword away from its target. Sango quickly did a spin, gaining her extra momentum for an attack at the other side of his waist, but…

InuYasha grabbed her hand, knocking the sword to the ground. Before Sango could twist out of his grip, or even attempt, InuYasha had then grabbed _her_¸ pulling her into a tight embrace. Held like this, Sango had no chance of escape.

"Sango," whispered InuYasha into her ear. He tightened his grip on her, stroking her hair and breathing deeply. "Sango, stop this," he told her. At the same time, all her anger melted. She felt safe again, she felt warmed. She felt like her little group, her _family_, had come to take her _home_…

**End Chapter Seven**

YAY! I'm going to post the prequel now, so I hope you all enjoy this chapter, than the prequel. I'll get to work on eight when I have time.

Love all my readers, and all my reviewers!

The Green One.


	8. Chapter 8

"Sango!"

Above the din and noise of the small village came a clear voice, cutting like a knife through bustle of people going about their day. The voice stood desperately above the sound of people hocking their wares, haggling, training, and other sounds that one only noticed when they were silence.

The small, grubby girl at whom this call was directed at stifled tears and huddled closer. Sango bit down on childish sobs, determined to outlast her father's resolve. She knew where to hide in the village, she knew the best places to stay out of sight. No one would find her if she didn't want to be found.

"Sango, please come out!" her father begged. Sango's dejection, and her anger, were fueled. She wouldn't come out. She wouldn't come out. She wouldn't 'see reason' as he wanted. She would out last, and she would be determined, like father had always _said_ he wanted. Now, when she tried to put to use her lessons, he was trying to break her down.

"Sango, _please_. Please, come out and we'll talk about this," her father cried. Never mind his reputation, never mind his station within the village, never mind this situation compromising his authority as the head of the demon hunters. The desperation in his voice laid itself bare, filled to the brim with worry for his daughter.

_No,_ thought Sango, steeling herself as best she knew how. _I refuse, I won't do it. I won't!_ Her little body threatened to be racked with sobs, but even at the age of five, Sango knew the value of silence.

_Father makes my life miserable enough. I don't need more to do. I can't take a little brother on as another responsibility! I won't! _She bit her lip so hard to silence herself that she worried it would bleed.

"Sango, stop this."

…

It was only through years of conditioning and training that Sango's sword didn't fall from her fingers. Her muscles all trembled, her eyes stung. Her mouth tasted like the tightness before inevitable tears. The rage, the fire that had blazed and fueled her for her five day jaunt, was suddenly extinguished.

_Sango, stop this, _she heard herself think. With a wry, painful twist she added to herself, _those same words helped me accept my baby brother._ She choked on the tears that were coming through the cracks of the proverbial dam. _Remember how much pain that caused you, and don't let your guard down,_ she heard the sensible part of her say. But the sensible part of her, after so many days alone, not sleeping and not eating, was very weak. Her hands shook violently now, and her lip trembled beyond hiding. She threw her sword to the ground, to hell with how dirty it would get. In her mind, it was already beyond cleansing now that she'd turned it against the only friends she had left in the world. She turned her eyes away, not bearing to look at either of the men she was, until a few moments ago, ready to kill for some offense that she couldn't even understand anymore.

In sync with her sword hitting the ground, InuYasha's feet swept him over to her, catching her as her knees dared each other to give out. He grabbed her gently, but firmly, supporting her, and hiding her face in his shoulder.

"Sango, there's no need for you to speak, only to listen," she heard Miroku's voice over the drumming in her ears. He sounded uncomfortable. Undoubtedly it was because Sango was shuddering in InuYasha's embrace, but given the situation, he bore himself well.

"We have come to an agreement, InuYasha and I," he continued. "You are . . . precious, a gem, and a magnificent addition to our lives. It would be the greatest of blows for us to loose you." Even in her solipsism, Sango could hear the wavering in the monk's voice, feel the shaking in InuYasha's hands.

"InuYasha and I both value you above all else, no matter what our reasons or history. We want nothing more than for your happiness. Loyalty is what we have chosen to arrange."

"No matter what you decide here," InuYasha softly murmured into her ear. There was a clear pause, Sango knew she was expected to speak, but she had no idea what to say. No precedence on which to base a sentence, and no tools to help her know what would be expected of her. She opted, instead, to follow through with the promise that she need not speak.

Even though she felt as if the only thing holding the world together was that she was held up by InuYasha, he stepped cautiously away to stand near Miroku. Sango was forced to open her eyes and look at them, if for no other reason that to keep her balance.

"Sango, I have been . . . I _am_ unworthy to ask any favor of you," said Miroku. "I've acted in a manner I didn't know myself to be capable of. I still cannot believe but for my first hand account on the matter." InuYasha was very clearly looking away, with a slight glower on his face that he wasn't doing a great job of hiding.

"And . . . Well, I'm terribly sorry I hit you . . . " he stammered out awkwardly. InuYasha's expression eased slightly at this.

"The point here is," InuYasha said, picking up gruffly on Miroku's nicely laid trail. "Even if you don't decide to be with either of us, you aren't getting rid of us as friends that easily. At least think about it."

Sango's knees buckled again, but she was determined to keep herself standing. A pause filled with a whirling of thoughts ensued. Sango wasn't sure how much of herself she communicated, and how much was all in her head, but implicatins were thick in the air, even if everyone there was too introverted at the moment to read them.

"Do you want to go back to Kaede's village?" asked InuYasha, after what could have been an eternity collapsed into a couple minutes.

Tears flowed freely down her face now, and for the first time in this meeting, Sango met InuYasha's eyes. With a deep, rumbling sob, she cried, "Yes. I want to go home."

…

Sango didn't have any idea how long she'd slept. She would never had woken up at all, had it not been for the persistent ache in her bones that gnawed at her. She was tired enough that she'd fallen asleep on the way back, forcing InuYasha to carry her. Most of the trip back she'd been asleep for, but InuYasha and Miroku could cover a lot of ground when they needed to, so it could have been anywhere from five days to one. Even though there was no chance of going back to sleep, Sango refused to open her eyes. If she opened them, she'd have to wake up, and face the world she'd made a mes of. She'd cry, and she'd do something else stupid. Instead, she would resign herself, for a time at least, to the oblivion of wakeful sleep.

Sango was more emotionally spent that she could ever remember being. There wasn't any longer a sense of betrayal to give her pain structure, and to give her a goal. Instead there was only a senseless pool of confusion. Even with her brother being used as an infernal puppet against her, there was a goal, there was something within reach to keep her from breaking down. But here there was nothing but mistakes and good intentions.

As if to mimic her terrible drained state, when Sango finally did open her eyes and look around, it was gray, miserable, and overcast outside. She was alone in Kaede's guest hut, and it was just cold enough, with just enough bite to it to be uncomfortable no matter how warm she would get. Sango felt the heaviness in her lungs that told a clear tale of how much she must have been crying. She felt the spasm in her jaw as she tried to hold back yet more tears. She felt the self loathing rising within her again as she told herself over and over to be strong, to be a warrior that would make her father proud. Nothing could make her father proud at this point. Nothing could console her memories of him.

In between bursts of trying to rebuild herself, Sango's mind still lingered over the same question, as if tracing the scars from an old battle. What had she done to deserve this? To be placed in the middle of this hellish place, hurting everyone around her just by her very existence. Even if she ever got the answer, just like with the old battle, it wouldn't cure the scars. And yet the question persisted. What had she done to be forced into hurting her best friend, Kagome? What had she done to deserve this complication of her life? A life that didn't need anything more to be pretty easily called one of the most miserable ever borne with a smile?

In her grief, in her introversion and her notion that it probably couldn't get worse, she found herself nearly wishing they'd never managed to kill Naraku. It had caused to much anguish, that it had hardly been worth it.

Sango sat bolt upright, wiping the tears from her eyes, suddenly so angry at herself for being so childish. Wishing things like that was nothing but back luck, and was useless. She gripped her hands tightly, took three deep breaths, and laid back down, trying to go back to sleep for a little while longer.

…

There was always a reason for superstition. Sometimes it was as silly as reason as a one-time correlation, and sometimes it was from practical knowledge. Other times, it was a foggily understood matter of the occult. A spirit filled with enough of any emotion, a spirit with enough of any drive, was stronger than its peers. But strength gets you nowhere in the spirit realm. It doesn't matter.

An invitation gets you somewhere. Be it an invocation, or as little as a wistful thought, with enough will, a spirit can choose to take that invitation. It needs to be very quick, because invitations are rare, and the expire fast. A spirit can't travel far, so the only means of finding a hole to follow an invitation is by drawing the party closer to death. But a spirit _can_ find a hole to follow an invitation, and get _out_ of the spirit realm.

And that's where strength can mean something.

…

Sango's slumber was so deep, so vivid and consuming, that she didn't wake up when Shippo walked into the room to wake her. An unusual occurrence, but given how tired Miroku and InuYasha had been, it wasn't entirely unreasonable. When he shook her by the shoulder, calling her name in his highest pitch "I am so cute" voice and she still didn't wake up, it grew to be something of a concern.

"Sango, get your butt up! Kaese made breakfast, and you've been sleeping for_ever_!" chirped the little fox.

Sango stirred ever so slightly, groggily sitting up and rubbing the sleep from her eyes. There was so much buzzing from her subconscious at that moment, indistinct voices crying out to be heard, whispering as loudly as they could. Sango forced her eyes to focus on the wall in front of her. Once they did, and she felt slightly more alert, her mind went quiet again, as it was supposed to be. The lure of sleep was still so appealing, and the call of breakfast seemed so much more distant.

"Sango-san!" insisted Shippo. "Get up! Eat food! You're being boring!" Sango stared at him unaffected. Even with her eyelids unusually heavy, she forced her way out of her warm blankets, and into the biting cold of the morning. There would be time to sleep more later, she'd done enough for one go. She must have underestimated the exhaustion she'd submitted herself to, or something, because it was taking a dramatic toll.

Easing her still limbs into motion, Sango walked the short distance to the warm smell of food. Drawing aside the flap of Kaede's hut and eager to get into a building with a fire going, Sango stepped inside. Kaede barely looked up from her cooking to acknowledge Sango's entrance, but she did begin to fill a dish with food. InuYasha and Miroku were both there, finishing up their meals. Shippo had conveniently vanished once again.

In one corner of the room, InuYasha sat propped with his knee holding up one arm, slowly picking at his food, more for the appearance of eating than actual hunger. Miroku sat neatly folded opposite his counterpart, dutifully eating his food. Both men appeared better rested than Sango felt, but then, they always did.

Kaede wordlessly handed Sango her food, and she began to eat, choosing a spot against the wall, but in what she determined to be neutral ground between the two men. As she lifted the first bite into her mouth, she was hyper aware of everything Miroku and InuYasha were doing. The slightest twitch in InuYasha's foot. The briefest pause in Miroku's chewing. She wondered how much she was being observed as well.

When she took the bite of food, she ate it more out of a knowledge that she had to eat than out of hunger. It tasted bland, almost like ash. Since Kaede's cooking was normally quite palatable, Sango blamed the shortcomings on her own mood. She made a show of chewing, taking another bite, and repeating. But the entire time she was questioning herself, uncomfortably conscious of both men near her.

She loved Miroku. Or, at least, she thought she did. Maybe a little. He was calming, soothing, wise, kind, and caring. Even if he had his drawbacks, these were important aspects to consider, things she appreciated about him. Sure, he had hit her once, but normally she could hold her own against him. Now that she knew him capable of such a feat, surely she could defend herself.

_Sango, face it, you don't want to have to defend yourself all the time._

It was true. Sure, she could beat Miroku in a fight, and sure, she could be on guard for the rest of her life should she choose to spend it with him. She didn't really know if she could handle that kind of resignation to an unhappy existence.

She tried to force her mind to other thoughts. Her food, her tiredness, the weather. Nothing seemed as pressing as this issue. It was so consuming that she'd slowed in her pace of eating. She knew that only because Miroku and InuYasha had observed her even closer than before. She took another bite, and chewed thoughtfully.

When finally she'd managed to drudge through her entire meal, she took it upon herself to go and wash the meal's dishes. And while at the stream washing up, she'd wash herself. She still hadn't felt as if she was clean from her journey. Not only that, but she felt actively dirty from turning a weapon on her friends, regardless of the circumstances.

As she finished up washing the dishes, she stripped down to the bare essentials. Her hands were stiff from the ice cold water, but she was so numb that the idea didn't really bother her, so long as she was out quickly. She plunged in without so much as a wince at the temperature. She felt so disconnected from herself that when she scraped her foot on a rock, drawing a small amount of blood, she wouldn't have noticed, save the slight discoloration of the water.

The roaring whispers of earlier seeped through the noise of the laughing water. Curses, vows, oaths, angry proclamations of all kinds. Self pity, mourning, and all thoughts that she did her best to hide seemed to ready so spring forth from the deeper reaches of her mind now that she'd dredged up this confusion.

_If only there were a way to make this all different. To not have to deal with this messed up situation,_ Sango heard herself think. _If only there were a way to take control. To end something as painful as this._

Sango looked down at her skin, turning blue in the icy cold water.

Water.

Something filtered through her mind, small at first, like a snowflake. And what little unaffected brain she had left in her numbed thoughts reached another thought. Water makes all things clean, makes all things better.

This thing that filtered through picked up speed, tumbling down and becoming an avalanche as Sango looked disinterestedly down at the rushing surface of the water.

She didn't need to worry. She didn't need to think. She just needed to resign.

**End chapter eight**

Frankly, I can't believe that I haven't posted anything, or written of published anything other than school work and game reviews in three years. Wow. That's staggering.

Anyway, I hope that some of my old readers will still see this, and that it will brighten their day. This chapter, and the next one are finished, and I'm going to try to keep an updating schedule of a chapter a week, updating on Fridays. If I can't manage, well, darn, but I think I can do it at least for a little while.

Thanks so much to all the readers from the past, and to all the readers I've acquired even without updating, I love you all.

-M


	9. Chapter 9

A most unpleasant experience greeted Sango upon waking. The rushing sensation of something much thicker, colder, and more painful than air leaving her lungs. A racking cough like never before felt heaved her body. Her stomach tried to join in the all the contractions of muscles, and Sango nearly vomited. Instead she just made a dramatic show of expelling all the water from her lungs with the sheer force of a cough that knocked her off her hands and knees. She was frightened out of her mind as she gripped the grass in her hand for dear life as if it was the only thing anchoring her to the ground.

When the spasms stopped and she finally managed to take a breath inward, she realized how relieved she was to have felt that fear. With the numbness she'd succumbed to earlier, it was gratifying to know that she wasn't entirely a lost cause, and she _could_ still feel.

She felt the warm fabric of her kimono get draped over her shoulders from behind. She turned her head, still wheezing and panting. Miroku knelt down next to Sango, still on her hands and knees, trying to get a grip on herself. He put his hand firmly but gently on her shoulder, concern evident in is warm eyes.

After a long moment of silence, Sango managed to convince herself to stand. She wrapped herself up in her kimono loosely, and with the support of Miroku to get back, they headed to the hut, still as wordlessly.

…

When Sango returned and sat down in the old priestesses house gingerly, she was greeted with the gruff concern that she'd become accustomed to from Kaede.

"How in the _world_?" "What were you _thinking?_" "Can't believe _you_ would have done something like that" and so on. Sango waited patiently for the tirade to be over, occasionally coughing up some more water as if to punctuate Kaede's statements.

When there was finally space for Sango to speak, she did so slowly and hesitantly. She didn't really know what had possessed her to decide to do that. She didn't feel any inclination in that direction _now_, certainly. The concept and idea seemed so distant, so unbelievable. Sango was a fighter. She had no urge to die. She crawled out of her own _grave_ at one point because she refused to give up. Admittedly, she had the motivation of revenge for that stunt, but now what did she have?

Enough, she decided firmly. She certainly had enough to live for.

"Miko-Sama, I don't know. I won't try to pretend to be happy," said Sango, knowing all too well that people who failed suicide the first time would lie about their state of mind afterward to be given the chance to attempt it again. "I'm not the happiest I've ever been, but I don't know why I did that."

Kaede looked her up and down, clearly skeptical. "You didn't answer the question."

"No, no I guess not." Sango put her hand on her forehead and sighed, which only resulted in more coughing. "I woke up feeling so numb and disconnected. Then I felt helpless, and pointless. I _don't_ feel that now, and I don't know why."

The old priestess folded her arms, thoughtful. After a few moments, she began the slow drawl of someone who, despite evidence against, wants to believe.

"I've heard stories of demons draining hope from people before. I've never encountered it before," she added hastily. "But I've heard of it. I could do some divining to see if that's the problem. In the mean time, you just stay near by, or we'll have to watch you constantly."

Sango smiled wryly, but nodded. She understood the worry, so she would comply, even if she didn't think it necessary.

…

For the next few days, consecutively, Sango's health declined. While she maintained a much better attitude the whole time, and InuYasha and Miroku even regained their voices when it came to her, she still wasn't well. She had a very high fever, probably a result of the stream, but that it wasn't getting better as quickly as it should was a concern. Sango could overhear suspicion that she might have been poisoning herself. When she heard that, suddenly the fact that InuYasha and Miroku had been with her every moment seemed much less altruistic.

By the fourth day she was so bored of sleeping, and waiting. Her fever had decreased, she was by no means declared healthy. Kaede gave her fever reducers such as chamomile in many different forms, lots of water, and plenty of pillows. Sango's legs were itching to move, but she knew she wasn't healthy enough for anything of substance. Still there was only so much sleeping a person should do.

The illness she now bore matched only in pain to the assumption that she knew the others held of her own will to die. She took comfort in the fact that if she did die, they would be angry instead of sad. Anger kept you alive. Anger you could use.

But not everyone believed she was trying to kill herself. And while that took away her feeble solace, it was a relief to know that she wasn't universally doubted. InuYasha knew the truth of her pleas that she wanted to live.

"What makes you think differently than everyone else by my bedside?" she had asked one night.

InuYasha hadn't answered right away, favoring cooking their next meal over talking. But when he did, he turned to face her.

"That's not like you. Something is _wrong_," he insisted, spooning a mouthful of soup into Sango's lips. She couldn't help but smile at his childish faith in her, even though it stung. She _had_ tried to kill herself at the stream, and _that_ hadn't been like her either.

InuYasha must've picked up on her expressions, because he the glowered, and withdrew the spoon when it was halfway to her lips. "Don't be stupid. Demons have done weirder things," he said, looking severely into her eyes. As he resumed feeding her he added, "besides, I've been here for days, and you don't smell like any kinds of poisons other than what Kaede's given you."

Sango smiled, sincerely warmed this time. "Thank you," she said. "For your faith. Just don't tell anyone that I rely on it."

"Your secret is safe."

…

When she woke up she was still feeling as physically terrible as she had before; her back aching, her mouth tasting like vomit, and her body still racked with a chill she couldn't fight off. She looked to the corner to see Miroku's staff propped there, but no sign of the monk himself. InuYasha was sleeping in the other corner, quietly and out of the way, as usual. She opened and closed her mouth once or twice to try and clear the terrible taste. When that didn't work, she eased herself to a sitting position with an audible groan so that she could drink from her flask.

"'Morning," said InuYasha, waking from his doze. Sango managed a feeble wave in his direction as she groped for her flask, dizzier than she realized she'd be.

"That bad, eh?" he asked, grabbing her hand. He gently putting the flask into it, then closed her finers around it with great care.

After a rejuvenating sip, most of which was spilled on her chin, Sango let out a strained sigh. "I bet I feel worse than you did with that stupid slug demon," she said behind a buildup of phlegm.

"Doubtful," said InuYasha with a carefully calculated encouraging smile.

"You never know," she replied, coughing then dribbling another swig of water down her front.

"Whatever. Get amnesia, then we'll have reason to swap stories," said InuYasha, taking the flask from her and helping her drink.

"You're always going to lord that over my head as a superior injury, aren't you? No matter how badly I'm injured."

"Pretty much," said InuYasha, without humor.

…

Check, rechecked and checked again, Kaede could hardly be more sure of anything. She was also certain that she wished she were wrong. The divinations weren't always perfect, and there was room for mistakes, but the results were solid many times in a row. The likelyhood now that she was wrong was so slim that Kaede was quite grounded in her belief.

That she didn't want to utter anything of the like was also certain. Telling Sango what was wrong with her in her present condition probably would result in very little pain befalling the priestess herself, but knowing Sango she would insist on secrecy and silence, letting herself rot off like refuse. Telling InuYasha could result in anything at this point, his dower façade masking any number of reactions she knew she couldn't predict. So she called Miroku.

It wasn't that she wanted to tell him, exactly, it was really more that she wanted _him_ to be the one to disseminate the news, and thus let Sango have someone to commiserate with. So Kaede fussed with her herbal remedies, concocting a new one that, now that she knew the ailment, would help Sango feel at least somewhat better.

Much like telling someone that they were about to die, Kaede had tried several ridiculous method of breaking the news in her head. None of them were kinder to Miroku than trying to be up front and clear, no matter how hard that would be on Kaede.

The entrance flap to Kaede's hut moved aside, and the gentile jingle of Miroku's staff preceded his actual appearance. When the monk unfolded himself after entering the small door and met Kaede's gaze with one of worn-thin desperation Kaede's heart went out to him, knowing what she knew.

"Miko-Sama, you requested my presence?" asked Miroku. The slightest of wavering could be detected, as he could see that Kaede didn't have good news. His shoulders slumped when Kaede paused before answering. She motioned for him to sit down, but instead he went rigid. "What reason have you called me here? Have you discovered what afflicts lady Sango?" he demanded like a child taken away from his mother. Kaede could see his knuckles going white as he gripped the handle of his staff.

"Hoshi-Sama, you'll want to sit down. I bear no pleasant news," said Kaede, bending to sit herself. "And though you'll want to know it, you'll wish t'weren't true." Miroku's face, usually plastered with the slightest of goofy smiles, was now creased with deep worry. A thin film of sweat glistened on his forehead as he slowly sat himself down, visibly bracing.

"There's a darkness filling Sango. A deep, alien evil the likes of which I've never encountered first hand. There's no longer any fear in my mind that this is Sango giving up." She took a deep, shuddering breath before continuing, and Miroku waited on her every word.

"I do not know how, or even what cursed her. I only know that it's there, and it's feeding off of her to get stronger," finished Kaede. Miroku's expression changed from that of anxiety directly to one of unadulterated terror.

"Do you mean some manner of parasite is feeding off lady Sango?" he asked, his voice cracking as he did so. "How do we halt this from continuing?" he asked, more power in these words than the rest of the conversation combined. Kaede waved him down again, and shushed him.

"In one form of thought, I suppose it could be called a parasite. But I don't think most would classify it that way," she began hesitantly. "It's a demon, yes, and so some extent it's a parasite, but most would call it by a different name, were it not supernatural . . ." she finished.

"You mean . . ."

"Yes, I believe I do."

**End chapter nine**

It's Friday! Maybe you know what that means? IT MEANS NEW CHAPTER!

See? I told you I had the next chapter ready, you shouldn't doubt me like that.

Chapter eight has officially gotten more hits than recorded on any other chapter of this story! New chapter up next week.

Thanks for reading!

-M


	10. Chapter 10

The cloud of dizziness that settled in Sango's head was more intense that she could have predicted. The only thing holding her steady was the stable, patient support of InuYahsa, keeping his arm propped out for her to clasp and keep herself upright. Even the meager distance away from Kaede's hut seemed like climbing a mountain. Her legs refused to move the way she demanded, and instead nearly dragged across the ground helplessly. She thanked all the strength within her, and all the slow steps that InuYasha had taken with her.

Although she was desperate to move, she had no idea how hard it would be when she started, and with each consecutive step it become increasingly difficult. Although InuYasha had offered to carry her the meager few feet from one hut to another, pride shot through Sango, and she'd refused.

The was grateful for the stability that InuYasha offered. It was good to know that InuYasha was reliable. Dependable even.

That thought cut her, as she thought bitterly of Miroku. There was a big hole. Sango had loved Miroku, but that was just it. She had loved him. The man she'd known for the past few months was scurrying, doubting her, sheepish, and not the man she'd fallen for. Had she fallen for someone as weak as he was?

_Miroku can't protect you, you know. Even if he could, you'd be trying to protect yourself from him. You need to let it go. Focus on what you have._

Sango shook these thoughts away. They were an anathema to the positive attitude she was trying to maintain through her illness. If she let herself become down now, her hope of recovery was too slim to contemplate.

When finally she did make it Kaede's hut, the old priestess whirled around sharply with surprise evident on her face.

"You shouldn't be walking!" she snapped, and quickly set up a reclined seat for Sango, into which she was gently lain by InuYasha. With a relaxed grin, Sango sat down as she was bid. She laughed weakly, which triggered a minor coughing fit.

"What possessed you to walk in your state of health?" Kaede demanded, putting a cool, damp towel on Sango's forehead.

"I've been in the same place for so many days, I don't even remember how long. I needed to walk, if for no other reason than to remember that there's a world outside the walls of that hut."

Kaede turned sharply to InuYasha, who flinched only slightly under her scrutiny. "And you allowed her to do this? It's possible you set back her healing time, you know!"

InuYasha opened his mouth to reply, but Sango was faster. "I demanded. My eye, Miko-Sama, if I'm going to be trapped in that bed for the rest of my life, then that life's not going to be much fun," she said, carefully weighing her tone with humor. Although her words were truer than she wold let on.

"I've a new tincture," said Kaede stiffly. "It should help, it's just finished brewing, but I'm out of supplies for more." After spooning a thick, brown liquid into a flask of water, Kaede let out a heavy sigh. She then turned to InuYasha.

"I don't care what she says, you stay here, watch her, and don't let her go anywhere." InuYasha responded only with the slightest of glares and an accepting tilt of the head. "And make sure she drinks all of this," she said, handing InuYasha the freshly filled flask. InuYasha held it at arm's length away from his face, his nose crinkling at the smell.

"Yeah, okay, in case she wasn't poisoned enough," he choked.

With that the old priestess left the hut a tottered away. Leaving Sango, once again, laying down by a fire. At least the hut was slightly different. There were new details to observe and obsess over.

Sango turned to InuYasha, who was stirring up the tincture, and prepping it for Sango's consumption.

"What happened to loud InuYasha?" Sango asked. The words had popped out without her awareness, but there they were.

"He was an idiot," said InuYasha, lifting the vile-smelling flask to her lips. Sango took a deep swallow, and wrinkled her face violently at the taste. There was more in there, but when InuYasha pressed it to her lips she turned away.

"I mean, you're quieter now. Reserved. What happened?" she asked again.

"You get once sentence per sip of this nasty stuff, all right?" he said. "This isn't the time for loud," he answered, and jiggled the flask again. Sango rolled her eyes, and took another sip.

"It hasn't been the time for loud in quite a while. What happened?" she persisted.

"Amnesia happened." He lifted the flask toward her again.

"That was not whole sentence!"

"It's all you get. Drink." And she did.

"What do you mean by that?" she asked, coughing now that the tincture was burning her mouth.

"I mean that I was confused. I didn't know stuff, and so I had to relearn. Loud wasn't what was called for."

Sango bit back the urge to tell him that had been more than one sentence, and instead took the next sip when it was offered. Almost done with the foul potion.

"Am I the reason you stopped loving Kagome?"

The flask stopped half way to her mouth. InuYasha took a deep sigh, and looked out the window as if willing a way to escape. He chewed over his next words carefully, and fed her the last of the potion.

"No," he said at last. Sango was about to open her mouth and ask more, but InuYasha halted her. "No, I don't think so. It's not that simple, and it never could be."

Sango stared up at with, pleading for him to tell her. InuYasha just smiled.

"I don't have to spill all my guts though. You get to know when you get healthy," he said, wiping the flask off and putting it into the stack of other washables. He then turned to her with a warm smile, one she returned sincerely, despite her expectations.

…

Sango woke up, and for the first time in her invalid state, she woke up alone. Her muscles didn't ache, she didn't feel drowsy, and she didn't feel the persistent film of sweat settled on her skin. She felt so much better that she was thankful she'd swallowed all that medicine if it had yielded such an effect. She sat up, her muscles still stiff form inactivity, but thankfully nothing more sinister than that.

"_Wait, _a_re you sure? I mean, how?"_ InuYasha's voice came through from outside the hut. So, she was still being watched, but not as actively. She held still to listen.

"_I only have it on Kaede's assurances, so I am only as sure as I can be there."_ That was the monk's voice. Sango inched closer to listen better. _"If you're insinuating that I had a hand in this, then you're entirely mistaken."_

"_Oh, yeah, because I thought you were an evil demon. But seriously, how?"_

"_I don't know. I sincerely wish I knew, wish I had a better answer to offer than uncertainty, but all I know is that there's a great evil behind it."_

"_What would some evil thing want to do _that_ for, though? That makes no sense."_

"_One entreating entrance where it does not belong. You know the legends, surely."_

Sango tried to think of what legends they may have been referring to, but she knew so many, and didn't know the context well enough. Instead, she opted to break her silence and get up.

There was a steaming bowl of food left for her, probably made not long ago, but they were going to let her sleep before eating. Sango suddenly found herself ravenously hungry, as she hadn't been in ages. She smiled at that, knowing that the first sign of a good recovery is hunger. She picked up the plate, reveling in being strong enough to feed herself today, and took a large spoon of the stew.

It tasted divine, as if she hadn't eaten anything at all in weeks. She slowed herself from eating too quickly, but resistance was difficult.

When InuYasha walked back in, his smile was warm, but also worried. The look of relief that spread over his face when he saw her eating by herself was broadcast very clear. Miroku followed behind, similarly composed.

"Gossiping about demons again?" asked Sango lightly between bites. InuYasha snorted.

"Something like that, I guess. You're feeling better."

"Nope, just a good disguise. What's up?" asked Sango, her smile not fading even when confronted with their barely maintained facades of happiness. She instead, focused on her stew, determined to be happy for her recovery.

"Sango, see," InuYasha began to stammer. Sango put down her stew, despite her hunger, and tried to compose herself and pay attention.

"What's wrong?" she asked levelly. InuYasha paused, going over his words, but it was Mirouku who spoke first.

"A demon is making you sick. Kaede confirmed it," he said.

"And yet by the lack of flowery wording, and by the glare that InuYasha's shooting you right now, I'm guessing that's not the whole story," said Sango. Miroku blushed and recoiled. InuYasha seemed to be trying to telepathically beat Miroku up.

"Well, there is more to it, although I am more than a little hesitant to speak of it. You see, Kaede assures me that the demon who is draining your energies and afflicting illness on you is using your body as a sort of gate," said Miroku. "Kaede assures me that this demon is, um, growing. In your womb."

"This isn't the time for loud," she heard InuYasha murmur, just before punching a hole through the wall.

Sango, on the other hand. Was livid. "I'm pregnant with a demon baby?"

"Maybe it is the time for loud."

**End chapter ten**


	11. Chapter 11

Miroku Shifted uncomfortably. Nothing be could say could convey the urgency of the situation, as well as being sensitive of the feelings of his young friend. It would be unfair of him to expect that she would drop everything and come help them, but he found himself hoping, even relying on her doing so.

"What has you so worked up?" she asked. Truly he didn't know how long he had tired to word what he was asking for before she cut his thoughts. Normally he was good with words, but he found himself at a loss, and fearing he might have only one chance to convince her.

"The situation is dire," he began. "Lady Sango has been cursed by some means unknown to me, although Lady Kaede has kept notes on the matter. Notes that I don't fully understand, but I hope you will," he said. "Kaede herself . . . I perhaps should have begun with this, but Kaede herself his dead."

Kagome's reaction was visceral. Clearly she'd expected the usual horrors, and had steeled herself for them. She didn't bat an eyelash at Sango being cursed, but this news was sincerely devastating. Her hands, trembling, covered her mouth as she recoiled. She looked as if she tried to dodge the words, thus making them unreal, from some distant reality. Miroku swallowed painfully as he dredged up the will to continue over her coughing and grief.

"It appears that Sango and InuYasha both have disappeared, which no doubt is related to the curse in some manner, although matters of the mystical are not my expertise."

Kagome took a step back. Then another, and another until she turned to face away from him, willing it to be untrue. Miroku's heart went out to her, even though he had to fight down his impatience, and his worry. He needed to find Sango and reverse whatever atrocity she was forced to be a part of immediately. He needed to move, to act, and instead he was forced to wait on Kagome to process the news. He didn't know how long she would need to take before she could even think about agreeing.

As if mirroring his thought, he heard Kagome take a deep, steadying breath, and straighten her back. She turned to face him, her expression a picture of marble.

"What can I do to help?" she asked, squaring her gaze on his. He could see this for the front of bravery that it was, but he did nothing to try and break it. It would be wise to let her take her time to grieve, but it would have to wait for later, as there were important things to do now.

"It will be required that we have some form of protection against bewitchment. With how InuYasha and Sango have fled, it would be easy to think that they are not themselves," he said, carefully omitting that he believed it was Sango's hand that the killing blow. It would be cruel to force her to help the woman who had not only stolen InuYasha's heart away, but also killed her tutor. Even Sango never intended either of these offenses. "Also," he continued. "I have sorted through Kaede's journals and notes as I could, finding anything she wrote on Sango's ailment. That will need to be cured, unless we would count ourselves collaborators in the birth of a demon."

"Sounds like we have to hurry," said Kagome. It was admirable how well she kept the quaver from her tone, although it was still audible. Miroku did his best to appear not to have heard it. Let her keep all the pride she can, and let her be the hero. There would be time later, if all went well, to break down. "Help me collect a few things," she said. She started muttering about what she would need to bring as she led him to the house.

…

Sango bent over the pot of soup to taste a spoonful. Akihiro had come by the last several days to bring them unused essentials, and he'd done his best to make them feel welcomed by the village. Most were still widely distrustful of the newcomers, which wasn't unexpected. But there were a few who had been willing to contribute. Clearly the romantic fantasy of eloping was uncommonly accepted there. At least by the younger generation. Akihiro had brought them enough food to get settled for a week or so, as his family's crops were doing unusually well that year. He'd told them that it must have been the gods preparation for their arrival. Who was Sango to deny the gods generosity? She'd decided then and there that she'd need to repay the kindness she was shown somehow.

InuYasha had been out hunting, and she felt strangely emptied when he wasn't with her, like a part of her spirit was gone. But she was going to make sure that he had food to come home to, and they had enough to give some to Akihiro's family as well. When Sango wasn't consumed with cooking, she took it upon herself to clean and fix the house a little, if they were to be staying there long at all. Which, with the baby on the way as it was, they were sure to do. She smiled to herself as she fulfilled her role as bride. She promised she would make a good bride for InuYasha, as he'd made a good husband for her. Her parents may not have seen it, but they were meant for each other.

A strange sensation came over her, making her feel sick, lost, fearful. She sat down against the wall, as surging of helplessness welling up inside her. Was something wrong with the baby, she wondered? She wished InuYasha was there to tell her things would be all right as he always did. She gripped the sides of her kimono to steady her grip on reality.

Then there was peace.

Then euphoria.

She tested herself, trying to remember her past - her true past, on the fiction she was living out a moment ago. She remembered her childhood, in the demon hunter village. She remembered her father and mother, not the ones who had forced a marriage on her, but the father who had respected her prowess enough to personally vouch for her performance. She remembered her brother, sad, dead, Kohaku, ripped from life far too soon, and the likewise from death.

Her whole body shuddered as she even contemplated acting against the wishes of whatever force was controlling her. But she knew she had to, if she could. She couldn't allow herself the luxury of siding with her captor, it would be worse in the long run. Reminding herself of that was surprisingly difficult.

In the end, though, she managed to speak the words she knew would offend, even if it was no more than a whisper.

"This isn't real," she choked. Emboldened by her success, feeling giddy with her newfound freedom, she continued in a much stronger tone. "I'm Sango, I am not married to or eloping with InuYasha. We're both prisoners. Prisoners in our own minds. This wasn't real!" she said, adrenaline making her shoot to her feet. She breathed haltingly, and kept her mind focused like a point in case whatever was causing this wore off.

"You too?" she heard from outside the house. She nearly jumped and screamed when the second voice made its presence known. "What happened?" the voice asked. The voice turned out to belong to a bewildered InuYasha, who came in with several hares in one hand. Sango's heart drummed with tremendous relief as she processed what he said.

"Oh gods!" she exclaimed, running to him and embracing him before she could stop herself. "I feel like I haven't spoken to you in days!" she cried. She could feel tears running down her cheeks, and the trembling in InuYasha's hands told the same tale for him. He dropped the carcases and hugged her back, relief and joy overpowering him.

"What happened?" he asked again, his voice rough with disbelief. He didn't so much as loosen his grip on her.

"I don't know," she said. "Whatever it is, we need to act on it. We need to go back," she said. "Now."

"You're in no shape to travel," he said. Sango forced herself away from his hold.

"That's not a good enough reason," she said. She felt strangely elated every time she said something she couldn't say for the past several days. She felt high. "This creature, whatever it is, had so much control, such an absolute grip, that it could fool us into forgetting our lives. What could it do when it matures?" she demanded. "I don't matter in this equation, only getting rid of this thing does. We need to go back!" she said. The adrenaline that had run through her earlier quickly soured, and turned into a severe panic. "You need to - I need to - We need to do something!" she cried. Her head felt huge, as if it couldn't possibly fit out the door. She felt so trapped, she needed to run. But her feet were unresponsive, to slow and slippery. More like meaty stumps on her legs than anything else. Her vision began to blacken. Then she felt strong hands on her shoulders.

"Hey, calm down!" she heard. "Breathe!" She was shaken after a moment, and her vision cleared enough to see InuYasha staring her down. "You need to keep focused. We'll go, right now, but don't do that ever again!" he said. She was about to ask what she had done when she realized she was laying on the floor. She'd managed to hyperventilate enough to black out. The pain in her head from hitting the ground made its presence known in great abundance.

"I'll try to stay calm," she said, knowing she couldn't promise more than that.

InuYasha pulled her to her feet and led her outside into the night air. She felt her swollen feet gripe, and she felt her legs wobble under her. She knew InuYasha was right, she would never be able to make the several day journey in her condition. She didn't know what else to do, though. Even just a few yards of walking was proving too tiring after her panic.

"Here, climb onto my back," said InuYasha. Sango smiled gratefully. She worried that she might be too heavy for him to maintain balance, but he seemed fine. After a moment of acceleration, they were going blindingly fast. She was used to this speed of travel on Kirara's back, but this close to the ground she found her eyes water fiercely as debris hit them, or threatened to. The stride of InuYasha's steps - or perhaps the term "leaps" was more accurate - was regular, but jolting. The sudden turns to evade obstacles was nauseating, but she tensed her jaw and bore it as best she could. She had no idea how Kagome could stand traveling this way frequently. She'd have to make an effort to be more impressed by it in future. If they had a future.

They were traveling at nearly three times the speed they had traveled before, and at that speed, they could be home in only two days, instead of the six they had spent traveling to get there. Not to mention the three days of playing house on the outskirts of a village. Sango was glad that they'd found such means of wasting time on the way, it made getting home seem all the faster.

Until gravity conspired against her horribly. There was a terrible cry from InuYasha, like the cry of a hound getting caught in his master's own trap. Along with that cry, he tumbled to the ground, leaving Sango with all the momentum, but none of the support. The collision with the ground was brutal, and she heart a terrible snap as she hit a tree. She felt numb with adrenaline, though, so she couldn't be sure it was her instead of a twig.

"InuYasha!" she cried after her breath returned to her. She looked to him, and saw him struggling to stand with an arrow in his shin. He looked meaningfully at her for a split second, then searched for his attacker. Sango did the same, though she saw no one. She had to rely on InuYasha's vision, which was more adapted to the dark than her own. She crawled to the relative safety of the trunk of a tree so that the same archer wouldn't hit her, at the very least.

"InuYasha! Sango! Surrender yourselves!" Sango saw InuYasha visibly relax. He shot her a goofy grin.

"Gladly!" he said enthusiastically, taking his hand of his sword. Sango stared at him confused. He smiled, genuine hope on his features. "Either I've finally snapped, or Kagome's here to help," he said, offering her a hand. Tears threatened to overwhelm her. She laughed with relief, and took his hand. They waited in quiet laughter - and tears on Sango's part - and Kagome and Miroku approached them.

Finally, they'd get to go home. And they actually had a chance of stopping this before it caused real problems. There was hope.

**End chapter thirteen**

This is the biggest deviation yet. I really did mean to just revamp the old story instead of changing it completely, but this is so much better of a plot line that I don't care. The original story was so poorly thought out on my part, and this one it more solid, if a lot more vague. I'd love to hear your input to know how well I did in portraying the brainwashing that was going on. If you got too confused, or if you got it right away, then great! That's stuff an author likes to year about.

And hey, look! This chapter is on time, and everything!

-M.


	12. Chapter 12

Miroku had leafed through all the book, scrolls and notes he could find in Kaede's untidy script. Anything he could find on protection from bewitchment, anything he could find on demon-baby exorcisms, anything he could find on anything conceivably useful. And, although Kaede had been pragmatic enough to keep a journal with useful information, it was done in shorthand that Miroku didn't understand. Yet another reason he needed to find a way to talk to Kagome. She'd been training with, and learning from the old priestess for a while now. Kagome undoubtedly had the raw power, and had the knowledge to decipher these meanings.

But the barrier of the Bone Eater's well loomed in his mind as something impassable. Only Kagome and InuYasha had ever been able to pass through it before, and he not what precautions allowed them to do so, aside from Kagome using the Shikon shards. She shards which were still in Kagome's possession.

Miroku had climbed up and down the well several times. He'd resorted to jumping down, and very nearly twisted an ankle on one of the dirt encrusted, bleached bones at the bottom. He'd spent a lot of the afternoon trying to meditate at the bottom. He was very near trying to dress up as Kagome or InuYasha to trick the well, at this point. Although he didn't see the use in it, it was something he still hadn't tried.

But there were more notes to sort through, and as he read all about tinctures and poultices, he sat on the edge of the well. It had been much longer than he would have liked. Kirara refused to eat without Sango near by, making the matter all the more hopeless. The little creature sat pathetically by the door of the hut, looking around for its companion. Days rolled by, and it had succumbed to sleep a few times, but it kept its vigil despite the growing weakness and lethargy. When Miroku's eyes had watered too much to read any more, he'd tried to comfort the thing, but it had just looked at him sadly once, and after that refused to so much as acknowledge his existence.

So he set about reading through notes and recipes, not knowing a better way to proceed. Even if he didn't run the risk of bewitchment himself, he wouldn't have lasted long in a battle against Sango and InuYasha without the aid of the wind tunnel. And even if he thought the situation dire enough to warrant its use, it was obliterated with Naraku's death. No, his only hope here was perseverance of another variety.

And then he found it. Several notes attached to a small pouch. The note was written by a difference hand than Kaede's, smaller, curvier, less tidy, but still legible. Even were it not for its contents, Miroku would know the author of that note simply by the speech patterns.

"_Kaede,_

"_I know you've been asking what makes travel through the well work, and I've told you that I don't know, but I have a hunch. Since I'm leaving, I thought I'd show you, but you weren't here. So I left this for you. This is what I think makes it work._

"_Good luck._

"_Kagome."_

Miroku gasped reverently as he looked at the package in his hand. He stared at it with awe and fear, as something like this ought to be treated with. He unfolded the paper that wrapped the Shikon shard. He let out a shaky breath of partial victory. He had the means, he could petition Kagome for her assistance. He gripped the shard tightly in a fist. It stabbed into his flesh, but the sting of pain was a relief, it was a soothing thing amongst the anger he held for the force that had robbed Kaede from ever seeing this note. It had been hidden amongst her things, and she'd been so busy with troubles and worries that she'd never gotten the chance to look through and find it as Kagome had intended. He hated Sango for the murder her hands had committed.

No, he didn't hate Sango, only the evil within her. But it was so hard to separate the two right now. Sango had still been part of the priestess' killing, even if she hadn't taken and active roll.

But he had the means. He could reach Kagome. He could ask for her help. He could beg, if he needed to. Whether she chose to give it was out of his hands.

…

Sango's feet moved clumsily under her. Even the force that sustained her couldn't keep her from fatigue. Her pregnancy - there should be a better word than that for it - was far too advanced for her body to maintain at a healthy pace of travel. They had slowed, InuYasha acting as support when her feet threatened to abandon her.

But even though they were still walking, still controlled, they had developed something of a language. At first it was unconscious. Sango would omit words out of laziness, or she wouldn't care enough what was being said to finish sentences. They weren't her own, after all, why should she be invested in their completion? But that had slowly evolved into a sort of peripheral communication. It only worked when she wasn't thinking too hard about it, because if she focused on it, then the evil would notice, and would stifle it. But when she just let it happen, she was surprised at how much she could say.

Mostly it was little things, like tilting the path of their travel to another village. Explaining her reason had proved difficult, but getting across that maybe the villagers would stop them, or slow them down, had finally worked. InuYasha had displayed the same method of communication. Subtle movements, omitted words, but the message was clear. Sango took a great deal of solace at knowing that InuYasha was as helpless as she was, although it still frightened her terribly that they couldn't rectify their situation.

She'd been noticed thinking about their 田onversationsa little too often, though, and getting meaning across was getting to be more and more difficult. Simply remembering her past was getting harder, too. She had to concentrate on not forcing the memories to surface, and instead coaxing them to reveal themselves. She had to remember herself, she had to know what she was here for, and she had to keep the knowledge of her subtle captivity at the forefront of her mind, lest it slip away as the mind control she was under became more absolute. She caught herself with hazy memories of working rice paddies once or twice. Memories she knew she'd never formed herself, things she'd never experienced, but they were starting to become almost indistinguishable from her real life. And they were so much easier to think about, easier to know that her life as a tormented demon exterminator.

"It's nice night." The lack of "a" in InuYasha's sentence drew Sango's attention. It didn't mean anything by itself, she was almost sure. More, it was an invitation to talk, or perhaps a sign that he wanted to say something he couldn't. It would be expected of her to respond a little bit strangely if she understood his meaning, so she did.

"Verily," she said, trying to indicate that she was listening.

"Have you ever thought about where you go when you die?" he asked. Sango frowned inwardly, though it didn't show on her face. She had to puzzle out the meaning, so her response was late. She assumed this was asking of the chances of them getting rescued.

"Kagome told me they don't know any better than we do, even as distantly in the future as she is." She hoped that he knew what she was saying. She hoped he'd hear that she thought Kagome was the only one who could help, but she was gone, unreachable. By the long pause and slow nod from InuYasha, she assumed he heard her.

"Miroku always talks about Buddha when I talk with him about it. He's persistent," said InuYasha. She heard his meaning. She wanted to cry, but her body refused to obey her. The thought of Miroku doing all he can think to do to save them was cutting. She wanted to see him so badly, she wanted to be held, and comforted by him, told that all would be well.

"I don't like to think about death," she said, wishing she could have heard the tremble of tears in her voice as she closed the subject. But it was level.

The continued walking in silence. They'd been able to see the village ahead of them for about an hour now, but with Sango's unsteadiness they felt no closer to it than when it had first emerged. Minutes crept by like bashful vermin, waiting until they were unnoticed to scamper off, but hesitating in the middle of the path.

"Ho there!" came a voice from a small distance away. "We don't get many visitors here, who are you?" Sango found the source, and it appeared to be a young boy, probably part of the village's militia, still overly thrilled with his new duties. Sango smiled at him warmly.

"We're traveling through and around, looking for a new place to call home," she heard herself say. InuYasha's hand wrapped hers protectively as he was forced to assume his role as well. The boy darted out from his little bushy hiding place toward them with a self satisfied grin.

"A little late in the season to be traveling, isn't it ma'am?" he asked as he galloped towards them. Sango blushed, staring down at her belly.

"Just one reason she has me to travel with," said InuYasha as he motioned his arm, which Sango was leaning on. The militia boy's eyes widened with terror, first taking in InuYasha's clearly demonic nature, then the sword. He gripped his spear tightly.

"We-we're not gonna get trouble from you two, are we?" he asked, clearly trying to sound authoritative, but only sounding like the scared boy he was.

"No," said Sango. She was as curious as the boy was when she heard sorrow in her tone. "I was disowned and sent away. We're only looking for shelter, as he now have none." The boy looked between them meaningfully. He then let show a knowing smile.

"An unfavored match, then?" he asked, relaxing visibly. InuYasha nodded silently. "Let me guess, you were supposed to marry someone else, and you refused?" Trust people to make up their own romantic tales, thought Sango. But in this case, it wasn't far from what was being implied.

"I was married off to another," she said. "Because my parents couldn't accept my love." She found herself looking up into InuYasha's golden eyes. Eyes like brilliant sunsets. And he was looking back at her, his face filled with concern, reassurance, and love. For a moment, she believed every drop of this charade.

"Well, you didn't hear it from me, but there's a small house - more of a shack, really - at the edge of town. No one goes there, and it's unoccupied at the moment," the boy said. "I know about forbidden love, and it's pretty stupid in my opinion. Go get some rest, at least for one night. I'll sneak you some food." This boy read too much, or heard too many stories. He was a romantic, eating this fabrication up like he would be part of the next epic if he were to help. Sango wondered how much of his reaction was part of the bewitchment she herself was under, and how much of it was the boy's natural predilection.

Then, looking into InuYasha's smiling face, she wondered how easy it would be to just rest, settle down, raise the baby with this wonderful man she'd left her family for. And just like that, she knew it would be the easiest thing she'd ever done. Pressing her forehead into InuYasha's chest, she let out the biggest sigh of relief she'd ever felt in her life.

"Thank you, thank you so much," she heard InuYasha quaver at the boy as his hand stroked her hair.

"My name's Akihiro, by the way."

…

Miroku looked thoughtfully his bag again. He knew all too well that going anywhere haphazardly was a mistake, so he'd brought food and water, for who knew how long he might be gone, or if time functioned the same way there or not. He'd also brought forty feet of rope, because that was always useful somehow. Beyond that, he had no idea what to expect on the other side of time.

He stood at the edge of the Bone Eater's Well ceremoniously. He looked at the shard in his hand, and took a deep steadying breath as he prepared himself mentally. He silently asked for the Buddha's blessing in this endeavor as he pocketed the shard. With that, he slowly climbed down to the bottom of the well.

At first when he got there he didn't notice any change. There was a sinking feeling in his stomach as he silently cursed himself for getting his hopes up, only to be dashed so. But then, as his foot scuffed the soil of the bottom, he felt distinctly disoriented, and confused. Strange, almost panicked thoughts darted through his mind, but before he could decipher them they were gone, leaving only the vague memory to tell him they'd ever been there in the first place. He looked up toward where the sky had been moments ago, only to see a neatly built ceiling of dark wood with rafters. There was a different ladder by him now, too.

He groped for the ladder, heaving himself - and his somewhat over heavy pack - to the top lip of the well. He emerged intact, and dusted himself off thoroughly. One couldn't beg for help without some concern for appearances. He pushed open the door near him gingerly, letting in a shaft of searingly bright light.

There's no time to marvel at the oddities, or the meticulous craftsmanship, Miroku reminded himself as he strode into the tidiest courtyard he'd ever seen. It was even more strange than Kagome had prepared him for in all their travels together. He heard strange noises in the distance that sounded something like a mobile forge, but he pushed them away from him mind. He had one mission here, and one mission only. He needed to find Kagome, not gawk at sights that he was, by no means, meant to view. But he knew his path, so he was not swayed by all the things unfamilliar.

And as the gods would have it, there she was, walking with three other girls, each only holding a strange two wheeled contraption that Miroku didn't even begin to guess at the use of. Kagome wave her parting with the other girls, and walked up the steps to the house at the far end of the shrine.

Then she saw him, and her expression broke into a mixture of pain and anger.

"Lady Kagome," he said.

"Miroku," she nodded to him, leaning the contraption she brought with her against a nearby wall, and coming to speak with him. "I'm surprised it's you that came, and not Kaede. _She _was the one I left the shard for, after all," said Kagome. She probably meant to sound a little more bitter than she did. Miroku only heard the hurt in her voice. He knew that hurt, that feeling of betrayal, rotting from the inside out. They would have time to reminis later. They would have time to heal his hurt friend, but there were more pressing matters to attend to.

"Lady Kagome," he said again. "I must ask of you your aid. In your absence some terrible things have happened, and we - _I _- require assistance. Rescuing, you might say."

**End chapter twelve**

OH. MY. GOSH. I'm so, _so_ sorry this came up as late as it did. I thought I already had chapter twelve written, but then I apparently didn't, and I discovered this ten minutes before I had to go to work. Again, I'm really sorry about the delay, I hope this chapter makes up for it somewhat. It's a little longer than most, so that's something, right? Anyway, enjoy reading.

-M.


	13. Chapter 13

Miroku Shifted uncomfortably. Nothing be could say could convey the urgency of the situation, as well as being sensitive of the feelings of his young friend. It would be unfair of him to expect that she would drop everything and come help them, but he found himself hoping, even relying on her doing so.

"What has you so worked up?" she asked. Truly he didn't know how long he had tired to word what he was asking for before she cut his thoughts. Normally he was good with words, but he found himself at a loss, and fearing he might have only one chance to convince her.

"The situation is dire," he began. "Lady Sango has been cursed by some means unknown to me, although Lady Kaede has kept notes on the matter. Notes that I don't fully understand, but I hope you will," he said. "Kaede herself . . . I perhaps should have begun with this, but Kaede herself his dead."

Kagome's reaction was visceral. Clearly she'd expected the usual horrors, and had steeled herself for them. She didn't bat an eyelash at Sango being cursed, but this news was sincerely devastating. Her hands, trembling, covered her mouth as she recoiled. She looked as if she tried to dodge the words, thus making them unreal, from some distant reality. Miroku swallowed painfully as he dredged up the will to continue over her coughing and grief.

"It appears that Sango and InuYasha both have disappeared, which no doubt is related to the curse in some manner, although matters of the mystical are not my expertise."

Kagome took a step back. Then another, and another until she turned to face away from him, willing it to be untrue. Miroku's heart went out to her, even though he had to fight down his impatience, and his worry. He needed to find Sango and reverse whatever atrocity she was forced to be a part of immediately. He needed to move, to act, and instead he was forced to wait on Kagome to process the news. He didn't know how long she would need to take before she could even think about agreeing.

As if mirroring his thought, he heard Kagome take a deep, steadying breath, and straighten her back. She turned to face him, her expression a picture of marble.

"What can I do to help?" she asked, squaring her gaze on his. He could see this for the front of bravery that it was, but he did nothing to try and break it. It would be wise to let her take her time to grieve, but it would have to wait for later, as there were important things to do now.

"It will be required that we have some form of protection against bewitchment. With how InuYasha and Sango have fled, it would be easy to think that they are not themselves," he said, carefully omitting that he believed it was Sango's hand that the killing blow. It would be cruel to force her to help the woman who had not only stolen InuYasha's heart away, but also killed her tutor. Even Sango never intended either of these offenses. "Also," he continued. "I have sorted through Kaede's journals and notes as I could, finding anything she wrote on Sango's ailment. That will need to be cured, unless we would count ourselves collaborators in the birth of a demon."

"Sounds like we have to hurry," said Kagome. It was admirable how well she kept the quaver from her tone, although it was still audible. Miroku did his best to appear not to have heard it. Let her keep all the pride she can, and let her be the hero. There would be time later, if all went well, to break down. "Help me collect a few things," she said. She started muttering about what she would need to bring as she led him to the house.

…

Sango bent over the pot of soup to taste a spoonful. Akihiro had come by the last several days to bring them unused essentials, and he'd done his best to make them feel welcomed by the village. Most were still widely distrustful of the newcomers, which wasn't unexpected. But there were a few who had been willing to contribute. Clearly the romantic fantasy of eloping was uncommonly accepted there. At least by the younger generation. Akihiro had brought them enough food to get settled for a week or so, as his family's crops were doing unusually well that year. He'd told them that it must have been the gods preparation for their arrival. Who was Sango to deny the gods generosity? She'd decided then and there that she'd need to repay the kindness she was shown somehow.

InuYasha had been out hunting, and she felt strangely emptied when he wasn't with her, like a part of her spirit was gone. But she was going to make sure that he had food to come home to, and they had enough to give some to Akihiro's family as well. When Sango wasn't consumed with cooking, she took it upon herself to clean and fix the house a little, if they were to be staying there long at all. Which, with the baby on the way as it was, they were sure to do. She smiled to herself as she fulfilled her role as bride. She promised she would make a good bride for InuYasha, as he'd made a good husband for her. Her parents may not have seen it, but they were meant for each other.

A strange sensation came over her, making her feel sick, lost, fearful. She sat down against the wall, as surging of helplessness welling up inside her. Was something wrong with the baby, she wondered? She wished InuYasha was there to tell her things would be all right as he always did. She gripped the sides of her kimono to steady her grip on reality.

Then there was peace.

Then euphoria.

She tested herself, trying to remember her past - her true past, on the fiction she was living out a moment ago. She remembered her childhood, in the demon hunter village. She remembered her father and mother, not the ones who had forced a marriage on her, but the father who had respected her prowess enough to personally vouch for her performance. She remembered her brother, sad, dead, Kohaku, ripped from life far too soon, and the likewise from death.

Her whole body shuddered as she even contemplated acting against the wishes of whatever force was controlling her. But she knew she had to, if she could. She couldn't allow herself the luxury of siding with her captor, it would be worse in the long run. Reminding herself of that was surprisingly difficult.

In the end, though, she managed to speak the words she knew would offend, even if it was no more than a whisper.

"This isn't real," she choked. Emboldened by her success, feeling giddy with her newfound freedom, she continued in a much stronger tone. "I'm Sango, I am not married to or eloping with InuYasha. We're both prisoners. Prisoners in our own minds. This wasn't real!" she said, adrenaline making her shoot to her feet. She breathed haltingly, and kept her mind focused like a point in case whatever was causing this wore off.

"You too?" she heard from outside the house. She nearly jumped and screamed when the second voice made its presence known. "What happened?" the voice asked. The voice turned out to belong to a bewildered InuYasha, who came in with several hares in one hand. Sango's heart drummed with tremendous relief as she processed what he said.

"Oh gods!" she exclaimed, running to him and embracing him before she could stop herself. "I feel like I haven't spoken to you in days!" she cried. She could feel tears running down her cheeks, and the trembling in InuYasha's hands told the same tale for him. He dropped the carcases and hugged her back, relief and joy overpowering him.

"What happened?" he asked again, his voice rough with disbelief. He didn't so much as loosen his grip on her.

"I don't know," she said. "Whatever it is, we need to act on it. We need to go back," she said. "Now."

"You're in no shape to travel," he said. Sango forced herself away from his hold.

"That's not a good enough reason," she said. She felt strangely elated every time she said something she couldn't say for the past several days. She felt high. "This creature, whatever it is, had so much control, such an absolute grip, that it could fool us into forgetting our lives. What could it do when it matures?" she demanded. "I don't matter in this equation, only getting rid of this thing does. We need to go back!" she said. The adrenaline that had run through her earlier quickly soured, and turned into a severe panic. "You need to - I need to - We need to do something!" she cried. Her head felt huge, as if it couldn't possibly fit out the door. She felt so trapped, she needed to run. But her feet were unresponsive, to slow and slippery. More like meaty stumps on her legs than anything else. Her vision began to blacken. Then she felt strong hands on her shoulders.

"Hey, calm down!" she heard. "Breathe!" She was shaken after a moment, and her vision cleared enough to see InuYasha staring her down. "You need to keep focused. We'll go, right now, but don't do that ever again!" he said. She was about to ask what she had done when she realized she was laying on the floor. She'd managed to hyperventilate enough to black out. The pain in her head from hitting the ground made its presence known in great abundance.

"I'll try to stay calm," she said, knowing she couldn't promise more than that.

InuYasha pulled her to her feet and led her outside into the night air. She felt her swollen feet gripe, and she felt her legs wobble under her. She knew InuYasha was right, she would never be able to make the several day journey in her condition. She didn't know what else to do, though. Even just a few yards of walking was proving too tiring after her panic.

"Here, climb onto my back," said InuYasha. Sango smiled gratefully. She worried that she might be too heavy for him to maintain balance, but he seemed fine. After a moment of acceleration, they were going blindingly fast. She was used to this speed of travel on Kirara's back, but this close to the ground she found her eyes water fiercely as debris hit them, or threatened to. The stride of InuYasha's steps - or perhaps the term "leaps" was more accurate - was regular, but jolting. The sudden turns to evade obstacles was nauseating, but she tensed her jaw and bore it as best she could. She had no idea how Kagome could stand traveling this way frequently. She'd have to make an effort to be more impressed by it in future. If they had a future.

They were traveling at nearly three times the speed they had traveled before, and at that speed, they could be home in only two days, instead of the six they had spent traveling to get there. Not to mention the three days of playing house on the outskirts of a village. Sango was glad that they'd found such means of wasting time on the way, it made getting home seem all the faster.

Until gravity conspired against her horribly. There was a terrible cry from InuYasha, like the cry of a hound getting caught in his master's own trap. Along with that cry, he tumbled to the ground, leaving Sango with all the momentum, but none of the support. The collision with the ground was brutal, and she heart a terrible snap as she hit a tree. She felt numb with adrenaline, though, so she couldn't be sure it was her instead of a twig.

"InuYasha!" she cried after her breath returned to her. She looked to him, and saw him struggling to stand with an arrow in his shin. He looked meaningfully at her for a split second, then searched for his attacker. Sango did the same, though she saw no one. She had to rely on InuYasha's vision, which was more adapted to the dark than her own. She crawled to the relative safety of the trunk of a tree so that the same archer wouldn't hit her, at the very least.

"InuYasha! Sango! Surrender yourselves!" Sango saw InuYasha visibly relax. He shot her a goofy grin.

"Gladly!" he said enthusiastically, taking his hand of his sword. Sango stared at him confused. He smiled, genuine hope on his features. "Either I've finally snapped, or Kagome's here to help," he said, offering her a hand. Tears threatened to overwhelm her. She laughed with relief, and took his hand. They waited in quiet laughter - and tears on Sango's part - and Kagome and Miroku approached them.

Finally, they'd get to go home. And they actually had a chance of stopping this before it caused real problems. There was hope.

**End chapter thirteen**

This is the biggest deviation yet. I really did mean to just revamp the old story instead of changing it completely, but this is so much better of a plot line that I don't care. The original story was so poorly thought out on my part, and this one it more solid, if a lot more vague. I'd love to hear your input to know how well I did in portraying the brainwashing that was going on. If you got too confused, or if you got it right away, then great! That's stuff an author likes to year about.

And hey, look! This chapter is on time, and everything!

-M.

P.S. The next chapter will be late, I'm really sorry. It will go up some time between tomorrow and Sunday, no later than that, I promise. I'm sorry for the delay, but some stuff came up.


End file.
